The Punjab Assembly has passed the Punjab Beggary (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Punjab Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2025 with a majority vote.

The Notaries Amendment Bill 2025 was also discussed but remains under review.

The session, which began after a delay of two hours and 38 minutes, was chaired by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan. The passed bills will now be sent to the governor for approval.

During the session, the opposition protested against the rejection of proposed amendments to the Notaries Bill.

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Opposition members demanded that the committee meeting’s footage be released and staged a walkout, citing quorum issues.

Due to the incomplete quorum, the session was adjourned until 11 AM the next day.

Speaker raises concerns

Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan addressed the issue of cousin marriages, stating that they are contributing to health problems.

He shared a personal account, mentioning that his own family has seen several cases of special-needs children due to cousin marriages.

He urged the government to collect data on the number of special-needs children in Punjab and emphasised that the administration should not fear any religious backlash when addressing this issue.

Heated debate over teachers’ remarks

During the session, Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat condemned a remark made by an assembly member four days earlier, where teachers were allegedly called derogatory names.

The controversy sparked a heated exchange, with the accused member, Amjad Ali Javed, defending his comments and stating that his words were misrepresented.

The session saw continued tensions, but proceedings ultimately concluded with the passage of key legislation.