LAHORE: Acting Speaker Zahir Iqbal Channar has announced stern action against individuals threatening opposition members, both inside and outside the Punjab Assembly.

His remarks come in the wake of an unpleasant incident within the house, despite prior agreements between government and opposition members to maintain decorum.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Channar strongly condemned the unruly behaviour witnessed in the assembly.

`Treasury and opposition members had mutually agreed to maintain discipline in the house,` he stated, adding, `A promise was made not to misbehave in the house.The Acting Speaker highlighted that a regrettable incident occurred despite the Speaker`s ruling, emphasising, `An attack by one member on another is against the sanctity of the house.

He stressed that the assembly represents 120 million people and `uncivilised behaviour is unacceptable.` He further deplored the situation, stating, `I condemn turning the house into a [proverbial] fish market.

Channar reiterated that any violation of the Speaker`s ruling will not be tolerated.

He defended the suspension of the concerned member following the incident, stating it was done `in accordance with the constitution and rules.

He also addressed threats made to opposition members by non-members outside the house but on the assembly premises, deeming them `unacceptable.` He said that the Assembly Secretariat has been ordered to conduct a full inquiry into this threatening behaviour in which some `outsiders` abused opposition MPAs, who were leaving the media hall following a presser there on Monday evening.

`There shouldn`t be any fighting in theassembly in the first place,` Channar remarked, adding that `interference by outsiders in assembly brawls is intolerable.` He confirmed that those involved in the commotion seen in viral social media videos have been identified, and strict action will be taken against individuals who violate the sanctity ofthe house.

Opposition MPA Ejaz Shafi claimed that the `outsiders` were the staff of some treasury members and they misbehaved at the behest of their employers apparently in retaliation to the brawl between some lawmakers from both sides of the aisle the other day.

Deputy Opposition Leader Moeen Riaz Qureshi has vehemently condemned the events of `yesterday evening [which] was a darl( night in the history of Punjab.` He alleged that `hired goons were brought in who attacked our members.

Speaking to the media, he expressed outrage over the presence of these individuals, stating, `Whenever any of our members are suspended, they are not allowed inside the assembly. Despite this, hired goons were called in here.` He questioned the securityarrangements, noting that `a large number of security staff are present inside the assembly.

The opposition has formally protested the incident. `We have written a letter to the Acting Speaker,` Qureshi stated, demanding that `a case should be registered through the Assembly Secretariat against those involved in the attack.` Furthermore, he called for immediate action against the responsible members: `The members of the assembly whose guards these individuals are, their entry should be immediately blocked.

Qureshi accused both the Acting Speaker and the Speaker of bias. `The Acting Speaker and Speaker are currently part of a one-sided action,` he asserted. He specifically criticised the Acting Speaker for making `extremely personal remarks about our Chief Whip` yesterday (Monday).

Recounting a personal exchange, PTI Chief Whip Rana Shahbaz Ahmed Khan said, `Yesterday, I held a copy of the Holy Quran and asked the Acting Speaker to swear whether we are terrorists.` He highlighted his own religious devotion, stating, `I have performed nine Haj pilgrimages,while contrasting it with the Acting Speaker`s recent Haj, which he claimed was `at government expense.

Khan lambasted the Acting Speaker`s conduct, saying, `The Acting Speaker resorted to personal attacks yesterday, .

In response to these events, Khan announced the opposition`s strategy: `Now we will protest inside and outside the house.` He concluded by stating, `Today our parliamentary party decided that we will protest inside the house to present our stance.

TAX ABOLISHED: In other significant development, the Punjab Agricultural Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2025 was passed by the house with a majority vote.

This bill proposes to completely exempt income derived from livestocl< from the purview of taxation. The amendment will introduce changes to the Agricultural Income Tax Act of 1997. Specifically, the proposal to entirely remove clauses D and E of sub-section 1 of section 2 from the Act has been approved by the standing committee. These clauses previously pertained to income generated from livestock.