LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Monday announced that the findings of an inquiry into the disturbance surrounding the arrival of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi at the Punjab Assembly over the weekend would be forwarded to law enforcement agencies for further investigation.
The incident occurred during Chief Minister Afridi’s three-day visit to Lahore, during which he addressed opposition members of the Punjab Assembly on Friday. The visit was overshadowed by clashes between members of his entourage and assembly security personnel, as well as heated exchanges involving leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and journalists.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Speaker Khan said that an internal inquiry had been conducted to assess the circumstances of the unrest and that its report would now be examined independently by law enforcement authorities. He said he had informed the KP chief minister in advance that special permission was required for entry into the assembly premises and that, at minimum, valid identification details were mandatory.
Describing the Punjab Assembly as a “Red Zone” with strict security arrangements, the speaker stressed that established protocols could not be bypassed under any circumstances. He said that while a list of lawmakers accompanying the KP chief minister from the National Assembly and KP Assembly had been provided and facilitated, security procedures were not fully observed during the visit.
Khan also accused Afridi of bringing unidentified individuals into the Assembly premises.https://t.co/1scEBM9fmv
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) December 29, 2025
According to the inquiry committee constituted by the speaker, the situation escalated when a larger-than-expected number of individuals arrived with the chief minister. Several people were reportedly not included on the approved list and were unable to present identification when asked, leading to a breach of standard operating procedures. The committee also reviewed CCTV footage from the assembly gates, which showed security personnel being confronted after denying entry to the unidentified individuals.
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Speaker Khan stated that the committee’s findings indicated that some of the unauthorised individuals had prior criminal convictions, including cases registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act. He said this raised serious security concerns and warranted further investigation.
The speaker emphasised that all individuals, including senior officeholders, were bound by assembly rules and procedures. He also criticised disruptions to legislative proceedings, noting that assembly sessions involve significant public expenditure and that disturbances undermine democratic functioning.
Khan clarified that political workers were not barred from visiting the Punjab Assembly but said that disorderly conduct and violence would not be tolerated. He also expressed concern over what he described as the increasingly provincial focus of political parties, urging them to strengthen national-level engagement to reinforce the federal structure.
Concluding his remarks, the speaker said that violations had occurred both inside and outside the assembly premises and called on relevant institutions to ensure accountability through comprehensive investigations, stressing the importance of upholding democratic norms and security protocols.
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