Pakistan Assembly suspends lawmaker Iqbal Afridi over misconduct allegations

Islamabad: Pakistan's National Assembly has suspended lawmaker Muhammad Iqbal Khan Afridi for the upcoming budget session, citing repeated violations of parliamentary decorum. Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq announced the suspension, accusing Afridi of inappropriate and unparliamentary conduct that undermined the sanctity of the House.

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Iqbal Khan has violated the sanctity of the House multiple times through his inappropriate and unparliamentary behaviour.

Complaints detailed Afridi's alleged abuse of National Assembly employees, improper behavior towards the director general of media, and altercations with security personnel and police outside Parliament. The speaker stated that no leniency could be shown to such a member and directed the sergeant-at-arms to remove him from the hall.

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No leniency can be shown to such a member.

A motion moved by PML-N legislator Farah Naz Akbar, approved by a majority vote, outlined specific incidents. These included using abusive language towards the director general media and issuing threats on April 3, 2026. The motion also cited instances of misbehavior with police and security, undermining the chair's authority, and disrupting House proceedings.

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Through his threatening conduct, Muhammad Iqbal Khan has undermined all parliamentary traditions.

As a consequence of the suspension, Afridi will not receive any allowances during the session. He has been barred from entering Parliament House and its premises. Separately, Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry informed the House that Afridi's son had applied for political asylum in Italy using a blue passport, a matter the speaker referred to the Standing Committee on Interior.

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During the proceedings of the National Assembly on April 3, 2026, Muhammad Iqbal Khan, MNA, was observed using abusive language towards the director general media of the National Assembly Secretariat and issuing threats.