PTI claims ailing MPA Asia Amjad was 'tortured' by PML-N lawmakers during Punjab Assembly chaos

Published April 21, 2022
PTI MPA Asia Amjad was rushed to a hospital after her health deteriorated.—Twitter/Asia Amjad
PTI MPA Asia Amjad was rushed to a hospital after her health deteriorated.—Twitter/Asia Amjad

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has claimed that their MPA Asia Amjad, who went into coma on Wednesday, was "tortured" by the police and PML-N "goons" during the chaos that took place at the Punjab Assembly (PA) on April 16, when election for the chief minister was held.

Amjad was rushed to a private hospital in Lahore earlier this week after her health deteriorated and was later moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

In a tweet yesterday, former deputy speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri blamed the PML-N and Punjab police for Amjad's condition. "Member PA Asia Amjad was tortured by goons of the 'bhikari' league and police in the Punjab Assembly."

"She is in coma on ventilator since the last 30 hours ... Doctors say there's a blood clot in her brain. Special prayers are requested from all of you for her recovery," Suri tweeted.

Former Punjab government spokesperson Hassan Khawar also tweeted that Amjad was in hospital because of "police violence called by the PA deputy speaker during the assembly session".

"It is hoped that the esteemed judiciary and institutions will take notice of this incident and bring justice to Asia Amjad and her family," he added.

According to hospital sources, Amjad had been suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure conditions for a long period and was moved to the hospital after her blood and sugar levels shot up, creating a clot in her brain.

Punjab Assembly violence

The PA session last week was marred by violence after members of the treasury benches attacked Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Mazari, pulled his hair and even threw lotas at him, leading to open altercations and fights on the floor of the house.

PML-Q's Parvez Elahi, who was the PTI's candidate for chief minister, was also injured in the chaos.

To control the situation inside the house, Punjab SSP Operations along with a huge contingent of police officers entered the assembly in civil clothes but later exited the hall after protests from Elahi.

When the clashes didn't subside for over five hours, officers of the Anti-riots Force entered the Punjab Assembly via its old gate on request of the deputy speaker.

Eventually, the PTI and PMLQ lawmakers boycotted the session after which polling took place and Hamza was declared the new chief minister of Punjab.

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