On June 29, the Punjab Assembly witnessed another day of intense exchanges as discussions on the proposed Punjab Control of Habitual Offenders Bill 2026 were deferred. Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan stated the Bill had not been formally introduced to the House. The Speaker instructed that the draft be forwarded to the Parliamentary Affairs Minister and the Assembly Secretariat for further evaluation, postponing the debate on the contentious legislation.

The session commenced nearly two hours late, as opposition members protested the proposed bill before shifting focus to discussions on supplementary budget demands. Opposition Leader Moin Riaz Qureshi criticised the draft Bill, labelling it unconstitutional and alleging it aimed to suppress political dissent and restrict freedom of expression. He drew parallels with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law from a previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, suggesting the ruling party now faced repercussions from similar legislation it once enacted.

In response, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan clarified his absence during the Bill’s referral to committee and the subsequent presentation of the report in the House. He noted the bill had not been placed on the formal agenda for the Assembly, and that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman would address the concerns at the appropriate juncture. Additionally, the Speaker highlighted a written request from opposition MPA Rana Aftab Ahmad, seeking suspension of the Bill’s legislative process to allow for constitutional and legal review. Rana Aftab’s letter argued the proposed law threatened constitutional rights, expanded executive power, and required thorough parliamentary scrutiny.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has expressed concern over the Bill.