NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq suspended PTI-Sunni Ittehad Council alliance members Jamshed Ahmad Khan Dasti and Muhammad Iqbal Khan’s memberships for the current session due to disruptive behavior during the president’s address. President Asif Ali Zardari’s call for political reconciliation was met with PTI lawmakers’ protest, chanting “Go Zardari Go.” Despite interruptions, President Zardari remained composed, concluding with a victory sign. The session, the fourth of the current assembly, adjourned until April 22. Today’s session saw the adoption of a motion by Sadiq, citing abusive language and threatening conduct by the suspended MNAs. Their disruptive actions, including blowing whistles and displaying banners, violated parliamentary sanctity and rules. Citing parliamentary rules, the speaker withdrew their membership for the session, aiming to uphold parliamentary decorum. The motion passed with a majority of voice votes.
Iqbal told Geo News that he would continue his protest despite the suspension. “We will go to every extent for the rule of law and the Constitution in this country and the elimination of injustice,” he said. Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari criticised Thursday’s actions and ruckus by the opposition, saying it had caused the NA speaker to take steps to suspend two MNAs. “This was necessary to set a precedent that we should work within the limits of the rules of Parliament [and in that case] we welcome the opposition and its criticism.” The PPP chairman hoped that the situation would improve after Sadiq’s steps and lawmakers would fulfil their roles.