Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPAs on Tuesday stormed the Punjab Assembly and clashed with the police after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah accused Chief Minister Parvez Elahi and provincial Speaker Sibtain Khan of instructing the police to not let opposition members enter the premises.
The opposition challenged CM Elahi to demonstrate that he had the necessary numbers to gain a vote of confidence, which led to a commotion during yesterday’s session. The doors of the assembly were shut, and security personnel remained on high alert.
On December 19, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had submitted a no-confidence motion against Elahi, two days after PTI Chairman Imran Khan announced that his governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will dissolve their assemblies on December 23.
On Monday, former finance minister and PTI leader Asad Umar said that the party had the required numbers for Chief Minister Parvez Elahi’s vote of confidence.
Footage outside the assembly today showed PML-N MPA from Sheikhupura Peer Muhammad Ashraf Rasool and Mian Abdul Rauf clashing with police. Rasool can be seen pushing a policeman away and cursing at them as he forces his way inside the main gate.
“Move back. Stop this nonsense,” an infuriated Rasool can be heard saying.
After the clash, other opposition members including Khalil Tahir Sindhu and Zeeshan Rafiq opened the PA gate and entered the premises.
Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Ataullah Tarar was accompanied by Rangers men within the gathering.
“Today it was said that federal ministers will not be able to join the PA and their access is forbidden,” He said while talking to reporters outside the house “I informed them that not even their fathers could stop me from going inside the gathering.”
Similar charges were made earlier by Sanaullah, who claimed that Elahi had forbade opposition legislators from entering the house.
According to Tarar, the PML-Q and PTI lacked the necessary number of supporters to pass the vote of confidence.
