LAHORE: Legal proceedings have been set in motion to potentially de-seat 26 opposition members of the Punjab Assembly who were suspended for creating a ruckus during the recent session.

Sources say that the Speaker`s Office has commencedconsultationswiththePunjabLawDepartment to explore constitutional and legal avenues for terminating the membership of these individuals.

The Speaker`s Office is reviewing decisions of higher courts, with a particular focus on a precedent set by former chief justice of the Supreme Court, Umar Ata Bandial. Justice Bandial`s ruling against then chief minister Hamza Shahbaz, concerning the violation of party lines, is reportedly being used as a reference point to possibly pave the way for action against the suspended members.

These 26 opposition members are accused of serious disturbances, unparliamentary behaviour, and violating the sanctity of the House during recent sittings.

In a related development, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan addressed the recent unrest and his constitutional responsibilities during a live podcast on the official YouTube channel of the Punjab Assembly. He unequivocally stated that his foremost priorities are maintaining order in the House, upholding the supremacy of the Constitution, and safeguarding public interest.

He stressed that conducting House proceedings according to the rules is his constitutional obligation, and unparliamentary behaviour would not be tol-erated. `As long as I am speaker, the House will be run according to the rules.

No one can be allowed to deprive others of their right to speak,` he asserted.

Regretting incidents such as the finance minister having a copy of the budget book thrown at him, Speaker Khan labeled such acts as a direct insult to the sanctity of the House and the right to speak. He questioned the purpose of the Assembly if its sole functionbecame protest at the expense of legislative duties.

While acknowledging protest as a constitutional right, he firmly stated that violent tactics and silencing others are against the Constitution and democratic values. He also noted that bringing banners and pictures into the House is against the rules. While such actions were tolerated for a year, strict implementation of the law will now be enforced. `Anyone violatingthe rules will face action. As speaker, I have the constitutional authority, and I will not succumb to any pressure,` he declared.

Recalling the attack on former deputy speaker Dost Mazari, Speaker Khan termed it an onslaught on the House and a serious threat to the democratic process, condemning `abuse, commotion, and physical assaults` as a `conspiracy against democracy.