Deputy Speaker of Punjab assembly Dost Mohammad Mazari has refused to issue production order of opposition leader Hamza Shahbaz and Khwaja Salman Rafique.

According to media reports, a PML-N delegation had filed an application in the assembly secretariat to ensure participation of both of PML-N MPAs in the current session of the Punjab assembly. The Deputy Speaker of the Punjab assembly refused to issue production order of both members. The PML-N have decided to raise this matter in the house.

Deputy Speaker Mazari came under scrutiny earlier this year for transgressing the authority of his position by suspending rules of procedure in the Punjab Assembly. Calling it his 'discretion', his move was immediately met by senior lawmakers as out of line with parliamentary procedure, and the intention - to help a fellow PTI lawmaker Musarrat Jamshed pass a bill - seen as obviously prejudiced in favor of his party. He later also came under fire from PML-N lawmaker Azma Bokhari, who shared a video of him threatening what appeared to be people from his constituency to vote for him. Bokhari called him a 'spoiled feudal' who failed to respect democratic procedures and the wills of his constituency.

It is pertinent to mention here that Deputy Speaker Mazari has also not issued production orders for former PTI minister Sibtain Khan, arrested by NAB in June. However, PTI as a party has not commented or pushed for discussions around the case either, so it is not clear if that is to be taken as a principled stance or just party position.