Opposition to Challenge Punjab Assembly Speaker in Court Over Referred Election Case

Lahore: The opposition parties in Punjab have decided to approach the court against the Punjab Assembly Speaker over the reference filed against 26 opposition members in the Election Commission.
Sources from the opposition confirmed that they will file a petition against the Speaker next week, challenging both the reference and the Speaker’s ruling. The petition will name the Punjab Assembly Speaker as a respondent.
The opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly held consultations with party leadership and legal experts regarding the reference. The petition will focus on the details of the reference and the Speaker’s alleged bias. Additionally, footage of the protest by government ministers and members in the Punjab Assembly will be included as part of the petition.
In a key advisory meeting, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) expressed concerns, asking why a reference had been filed against the opposition members over their protest while no similar action had been taken against government members.
Sources further revealed that the Speaker had based his reference on a decision by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, but the opposition cited a ruling by Justice Qazi Faez Isa that contradicted the basis of the Speaker’s decision. The opposition also pointed out that the Speaker had not received any communication from parliamentary leaders indicating that the suspended members were not following his instructions.
The opposition is preparing to fight the case in the Election Commission to contest the Speaker’s reference.