Parliament Joint Session and opposition protest

This prompted the opposition to tear copies of the agenda and walk out of the session in protest. Lawmakers also gathered around the treasury benches, chanting slogans against Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government.

In order to avoid a situation where lawmakers from the opposition and government got into a physical altercation, the sergeants-at-arms were seen standing shoulder-to-shoulder to create a barrier between the two sides.

The opposition argued that as per the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007, the government required a majority of the total membership of the NA and Senate to get a bill passed in a joint session, which amounts to 222 members. However, the government side contended that as per Article 72 of the Constitution, it required a simple majority of the members present during a joint sitting to get a bill passed. NA Speaker Asad Qaiser ruled that the Constitution held precedence over the Rules.