NA suspends PTI MNA Iqbal Afridi for budget session over alleged misconduct with staff, police

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) on Thursday suspended PTI lawmaker Muhammad Iqbal Khan Afridi for the entire upcoming budget session, with Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq accusing him of repeatedly violating the sanctity of the House through “inappropriate and unparliamentary” conduct. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb will present the federal budget for the next fiscal year (FY26–27) in the NA on Friday. “Iqbal Khan has violated the sanctity of the House multiple times through his inappropriate and unparliamentary behaviour,” the speaker said. He added that multiple complaints had been received about the lawmaker’s abuse of NA employees. Sadiq said the MNA had also behaved improperly with the NA’s director general (media) and security officials. “No leniency can be shown to such a member,” he remarked, before directing the sergeant-at-arms to remove the lawmaker from the hall. The speaker further alleged that Khan had misbehaved with security personnel outside Parliament and had been involved in a scuffle with police at a checkpoint near Serena Hotel. “Through his threatening conduct, Muhammad Iqbal Khan has undermined all parliamentary traditions,” he said, adding that the member had “misused his office”. The MNA has been barred from entering Parliament House and its premises for the duration of the budget session. The suspension followed a motion moved by PML-N legislator Farah Naz Akbar, which the House approved by a majority vote. “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. On multiple occasions, he has also misbehaved with police and security personnel deployed for security duties within the Secretariat as well as with the chair.” “Furthermore, on May 13, 2026, he undermined the authority of the chair and lowered the dignity of Parliament by using abusive and threatening language aga