Ruckus in Pakistan’s Punjab assembly as deputy speaker is attacked with ‘lotas’

Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari was attacked in Pakistan's Punjab assembly (Image: ANI/Twitter)

Three members of Pakistan’s Punjab assembly were arrested on Saturday for attacking Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) leaders threw ‘lotas’ at the Deputy Speaker, attacked him and pulled his hair, Geo TV reported. The ruckus created by PTI members delayed the election of the chief minister of Punjab.

Chants of “lota, lota (turncoat),” accompanied the attack on Mazari as Imran Khan-supporting PTI members clashed with dissident lawmakers of the party who have sided with the opposition.

Lotas thrown at Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Dost Muhammad Mazari. He was also slapped by PTI members. He has been escorted by Sergeant-At-Arms. The Punjab Assembly session has convened to elect new Punjab chief minister: Pakistan's Samaa English

(Pic: Samaa) pic.twitter.com/afASprAZFr — ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2022

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, elected after the ouster of Imran Khan, called the incident a “blatant display of violence and hooliganism.”

“PTI/PMLQ MPAs attack on Dy Speaker inside Punjab assembly must be condemned in strongest terms possible. This blatant display of violence and hooliganism is fascism, pure and simple,” Sharif wrote on Twitter as he hit out at Imran Khan.

“IK’s desperation and incitement to violence is rupturing our society. He is attacking democracy itself,” he added.

PTI/PMLQ MPAs attack on Dy Speaker inside Punjab Assembly must be condemned in strongest terms possible. This blatant display of violence & hooliganism is fascism, pure & simple. IK’s desperation & incitement to violence is rupturing our society. He is attacking democracy itself. — Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 16, 2022

No prime minister has ever served a full term in Pakistan, but Imran Khan is the first to lose office via a vote of no-confidence -- a defeat he has not taken well, AFP reported.

He tried everything to stay in power after losing his majority in parliament, including dissolving the assembly and calling a fresh election. But the Supreme Court deemed all his actions illegal and ordered lawmakers to reconvene and vote. Khan was dismissed after losing a no-confidence vote, and Sharif elected by Pakistan lawmakers as the prime minister.