The third session of the Punjab Assembly, held to administer the oath to members appointed to the reserved seats, began with a noisy protest by the opposition Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).
Among those who took the oath were 21 women on reserved seats and three members from minority communities. Tariq Masih, Wasim Anjum, and Basrooji took oaths on minority seats.
Among those who have been sworn in on women's reserved seats are Sadia Muzaffar, Fiza Maimoona, Abida Bashir, Maqsoodan Bibi, Amira Khan, Somia Atta, Rahat Afza, Rukhsana Shafiq, Tahseen Fawad, Farzana Abbas, Shagufta Faisal, Uzma Butt, Maria Talal, Sajda Naveed, Nasreen Riaz, Afsheen Hasan, Amna Parveen, Shahr Bano, Zeba Ghafoor, Rubina Nazir and Syeda Sameera.
Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan presided over the proceedings and administered the oath to the incoming members.
While the oath was being administered, the opposition members besieged the speaker's dais.
Earlier, the opposition had pointed out the quorum after which the speaker held a count and the quorum was declared complete. The speaker announced that there were 104 members present in the House.
Furthermore, it has been decided to present audit reports of various departments and institutions in the assembly session. Audit reports of Punjab Forensic Science Agency, Punjab Information Commission, Punjab Social Protection Authority, Punjab Textbook Board, Punjab Judicial Academy, and Punjab Service Commission will be presented in the session.
The presentation of the audit reports is included in the day's agenda.
Meanwhile, outside the assembly, foolproof security arrangements have been put in place to maintain order and safety during the session. The heightened security measures come as the Punjab Assembly meeting has been convened for an early start at 9am, as per a notification issued by Punjab Governor Balighur Rahman.
Speaking to the media outside the assembly, Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan has affirmed the Sunni Ittehad Council's right to protest. He clarified that the early session was scheduled to accommodate the convenience of the members, especially considering that today is Friday.
As the assembly gears up for the session, all eyes are on the developments within, with expectations running high for a productive and impactful gathering.
Punjab Social Welfare Minister Sohail Shaukat Butt they are here with a determination to serve the 120 million of the province, adding that the opposition should sit in the assembly. “Protest is their right, but they should also look at the public,” he asserted.
Minister Bilal Yasin also maintained that the opposition could protest if it wanted, as long as it remained within the confines of the law. “We don’t have time for negative politics. Our sole agenda is facilitating the public, for which we’ll work tirelessly,” he added.
