Police enter Pak Punjab Assembly, arrest lawmakers for creating ruckus

Lahore, April: In an unprecedented move, police entered the hall of Pakistan Punjab Assembly and arrested at least four Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members for attacking the deputy speaker and creating ruckus, media reports said.

Videos from inside the assembly hall show police force in riot gear trying to remove members from the hall who had stalled the House proceedings, Samaa TV reported. These are the members who attacked Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari.

The Assembly met on Saturday to elect the new chief minister, however, the session turned violent as soon as it began.

PTI members brought ‘lotas’ with them which they hurled in the Assembly hall. As Mazari arrived on the dias to chair the session, PTI members hit him with ‘lotas’.

Mazari was even slapped by the members after which he was escorted by the serjeant-at-arms.

After the violence, anti-riot force that was positioned in the Assembly premises entered the Assembly hall. However, they were later made to leave after PTI members objected to their presence.

According to the single-point agenda issued by the Assembly secretariat, the voting for the new chief minister will be held on Saturday.

Hamza Shahbaz of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) is up against Pakistan Muslim League-Q’s (PMLQ) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. – IANS