ISLAMABAD: A stormy Punjab Assembly session on Thursday was overshadowed by a bizarre allegation of watch theft, causing a major disruption just as the general debate on the 2025-26 provincial budget was about to begin.
The sitting, already delayed by over three hours, quickly descended into chaos when Treasury MPA Bilal Yamin accused opposition member Ejaz Shafi of stealing his watch during a previous session.
Opposition benches erupted in protest, chanting slogans including “Nawaz Sharif is a thief!”
In response, government members mockingly waved their watches and shouted “watch thief” at their counterparts.
Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan struggled to maintain decorum as both sides intensified their verbal attacks.
Amid the disorder, microphones were reportedly damaged and the session was suspended for nearly two hours.
The speaker called senior members from both sides into his chamber in a bid to calm tensions.
However, once proceedings resumed, the shouting matches resumed, leaving the House in a state of uproar once again.
Watch Controversy Deepens Assembly Divide
Addressing the House on a point of order, Bilal Yamin claimed his watch was taken from him on June 16 during a heated scuffle.
He clarified that while the watch wasn’t expensive, it carried emotional value as it belonged to his father.
Ejaz Shafi strongly denied the accusation, calling it “baseless and politically motivated”.
He escalated the rhetoric by claiming corruption existed not only within the Sharif family but across the ruling party.
He also demanded a personal search of the chief minister, alleging he had not been seen in the Assembly for a year.
In response, the speaker announced the formation of a special committee to probe the theft allegation.
Opposition Slams Budget as ‘Anti-People’
Despite the earlier commotion, the general budget debate eventually resumed.
Opposition Leader Malik Ahmed Khan Bhachar launched a scathing critique of the government’s proposed fiscal plan.
He called it “anti-people”, arguing it prioritised political vendettas over public welfare.
Bhachar condemned the government’s alleged mistreatment of PTI founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.
He questioned the increase in the development budget from Rs842 billion to Rs1.24 trillion, claiming the government lacked the capacity to use the funds effectively.
He also pointed to glaring misuse of funds in projects like the overpriced ‘Rehri Programme’ and the failed Rs150 million ‘Bike Lane’ project.
The opposition leader expressed concern over continued outsourcing of schools and the rising number of out-of-school children.
He also highlighted corruption in the Ramazan Nigehbaan Programme, naming 93 government employees allegedly involved.
On the agriculture front, Bhachar painted a grim picture for farmers, citing huge losses in wheat and cotton yields.
He accused the government of favouritism and claimed that over Rs20 billion in farmer support funds were being withheld.
He also refuted official figures of 1.5 million farmers in Punjab, suggesting the actual number was far higher.
