Nawaz’s statement quoted out-of-context, clarifies Punjab PA Speaker

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Friday said that Nawaz Sharif categorically did not say in his statement that anyone should be hanged upside down, and the treatment being meted out to the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in jail is strictly in accordance with the jail manual.

He further stated that maintaining distinctions between parties that attack state institutions is incomprehensible, and it would not be correct to blame only politicians for the recent IMF report.

During a press conference held at the Punjab Assembly, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan clarified that Nawaz Sharif’s statement was presented out of context and he categorically did not say that anyone should be hanged upside down. Nawaz Sharif had expressed sorrow over how economically progressing Pakistan was halted and pushed backward.

Responding to a question, the Punjab Assembly Speaker made it clear that the treatment being given to the founder of Tehreek-e-Insaf in jail is strictly in accordance with the jail manual, and creating disturbances outside the jail is legally completely wrong. He added that maintaining distinctions between parties that attack national institutions is incomprehensible. “If a party attacks the Corps Commander House, martyrs’ monuments and the Radio Pakistan building and sets them on fire, then treating it differently instead of imposing a ban on it would not be understandable in any manner.”

Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan said that discussions about the formation of new provinces will have to be heard, even if this debate is currently taking place only at an academic level. He stated that he is an advocate for the constitutional protection of district governments and will fully support every kind of positive initiative in this regard. The recent IMF report is undoubtedly concerning, but holding only politicians responsible for it and blaming them would not be correct at all.

Earlier, Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bukhari, while speaking to the media at the Punjab Assembly, said “the People’s Party is our allied party and wherever necessary, they will be accommodated.”

She expressed deep regret to the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that their Chief Minister appears to have been made merely to become a devotee of Adiala Jail. The CM seems to have no connection with the real difficulties and problems of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, nor does he have any concern for them.

Azma Bukhari said sarcastically that “if the KP Chief Minister wants to create chaos by becoming a devotee of Adiala, then by all means let him do so, but he should also pay attention to serving the people.” She clarified that “if the KP CM comes as a guest, then he is welcome a hundred times, but if he comes to take out processions and protest against the federation, then this will be an entirely different matter and the government will respond appropriately.”

Meanwhile, the Punjab Assembly session commenced one hour and forty-seven minutes behind schedule under the chairmanship of Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan.

During the session, newly elected members of the assembly took their oaths of office, including Mian Sultan Ranjha, Ali Haider Noor Niazi, Azad Ali Tabassum, Tahir Pervez, Ahmad Shehryar, and Muhammad Hanif.

Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan administered the oath to the newly elected members; however, they took their oaths amid severe uproar from the opposition.

During the oath-taking ceremony, the opposition created such intense noise that even voices close by could not be heard. Opposition members stood on their seats banging their desks while government assembly members responded vigorously to the opposition members’ slogans.

Opposition Leader Mueen Qureshi appealed to Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan for a meeting with the PTI founder, stating that the members of parliament who were elected and came here have been disqualified with fake cases and fabricated evidence.

Mueen Qureshi said they reached the assembly with five percent votes despite the boycott and the country is going through a critical phase. He said “Afghans who have become Indian proxies are interfering in KP and Balochistan, and until we unite ourselves internally, we cannot fight our enemies.”

Mueen Qureshi criticized the Form 47 government, saying this government is fueling chaos. He said that despite the High Court’s order, KP former CM Ali Amin Gandapur wants to meet Khan Sahib but is being refused. Mueen Qureshi said that KP is the province that has given the most sacrifices in the war against terrorism, and when a CM with a two-thirds majority is not allowed to meet Khan Sahib, what message does this send.

Mueen Qureshi said that terrorists and bandits have rights in Adiala Jail so they can meet with their lawyers and family, but no one is being allowed to meet the party chairman. He demanded that Khan’s sister and family as well as lawyers should be allowed to meet.

The opposition leader said that alternative courts to the judiciary have been created and their hands are stained with the blood of innocent people. Mueen Qureshi, referring to the Maridke incident and corruption, said that farmers have been brought to the brink of destruction. He said that sugar has become 215 rupees per kilogram and people cannot pay gas and electricity bills. He alleged that deputy commissioners are calling hospitals and telling them not to register dengue patients while there are four dengue patients in every household. He questioned where the Clean Punjab project went and said that one crore rupees each from Clean Punjab is going into someone’s pocket.

Mueen Riaz Qureshi announced that all Punjab Assembly members will gather outside the Islamabad High Court because the PTI founder’s cases are not being heard in court and they will protest outside the High Court against this. He mentioned that “today Aleema Khan has also written a letter to the Interior Secretary Punjab to meet the PTI founder.”

Provincial Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, while severely criticizing the opposition in the house, said that “you have seen the opposition’s behaviour and if we want, they cannot speak.” He said they gave the opposition full time and did not interrupt.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025