Acting Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Zaheer Iqbal Channar on Tuesday reinstated the membership of 26 opposition MPAs after the successful dialogues between government and opposition leaders.

Due to Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan’s personal engagements, Acting Speaker Zaheer Iqbal Channar stepped in and officially reinstated the suspended members.

These members were suspended by Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan on June 27 during the budget session over heated exchanges and the use of inappropriate language.

Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan had also forwarded a formal reference to the Election Commission of Pakistan, seeking the disqualification of these 26 members of the opposition.

In reaction, the opposition announced to boycott of all assembly sessions and demanded the reinstatement of their members.

In response to the continued boycott and the formation of a parallel assembly by the opposition, Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan formed a negotiation committee to resolve the matter. The committee, comprising members from both the treasury and opposition benches, successfully held talks

On this occasion, the Acting Speaker stated, “The Assembly lacks its vibrancy without the opposition. The 26 suspended members should be reinstated so they can freely represent their constituencies. I don’t enjoy the proceedings without the opposition.”

Punjab’s Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman, stated, “Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also desires that elected representatives be allowed to participate in the Assembly. They have been chosen by the people and must be allowed to represent them in the House.”

Following this decision, the Punjab Assembly Secretariat issued a notification restoring the 26 opposition members and revoked the earlier suspension order dated June 27.