Punjab Assembly. PHOTO: APP
An argument between Leader of the Opposition Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Law Minister Rana Sanaullah over development expenditure caused chaos in the Provincial Assembly session on Friday.
Sanaullah said constituencies represented by opposition lawmakers were not being deprived of development funds. He also rejected Rasheed’s claim that development funds were being distributed among treasury lawmakers, saying this was not the case.
Rasheed responded by citing a letter signed by various secretaries asking treasury lawmakers to identify development schemes in their areas for which funds would be issued. He said lawmakers from the opposition benches should be made part of district development committees to ensure just distribution of development funds.
The exchange between the law minister and the leader of opposition heated up when Sanaullah taunted Rasheed over his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s “container politics.” Several members on the opposition benches then took to chanting anti-government slogans.
Jamaat-i-Islami’s Syed Waseem Akhtar said a mechanism had been agreed on in a meeting with the chief minister on disbursement of funds two years ago, but it had been an exercise in futility. He said another meeting of parliamentary leaders should be called to discuss the issue with the Chair.
The pre-budget debate started 15 minutes before the session was to adjourn for Friday prayers. The leader of opposition turned down the Chair’s offer to speak, saying there was not enough time for him to present his recommendations. Rasheed will now speak on the subject on Monday.
PPP’s Sardar Shahabuddin took the floor to seek an assurance from the law minister that recommendations made by the opposition would be taken into consideration.
The law minister did not respond. Shahabuddin then withdrew from the debate.
The remaining time was taken up by Parliamentary Secretary for Information Rana Arshad. MPA Asif Bajwa, from the Treasury, asked for funds to set up technical institutes, a sports complex and water filtration plants in Daska.
The issue of deaths caused by poisonous liquor was taken up by MPA Shanila Ruth.
The lawmaker moved an adjournment motion in this regard, saying those apprehended for selling illicit liquor were often released by police after being bribed.
The motion was kept pending by the Chair.
A privilege motion by MPA Peerzada Mian Shahzad Maqbool Bhutta stirred a debate between the opposition and the Chair as the latter refused to refer it to the privilege committee. When the chair dismissed this request, Shahabuddin left the House.
The chair dismissed several points raised from the opposition benches. PTI’s Asif Mehmood’s microphone was turned off after he raised the issue of the chief minister’s attendance during the proceedings.
The lawmaker cited a recent incident where a citizen was denied record of the CM’s attendance. He said the citizen had sought the record from assembly staff. The Chair shot down the query, saying the decision was in accordance with the rules of the House. During the question hour, Akhtar demanded funding for south of Punjab, especially Bahawalpur.
Pending government business from Thursday was also taken up. Six ordinances, including the Punjab Vigilance Committee Ordinance 2016, the Fatima Jinnah Medical University Lahore (Amendment) Ordinance 2015, the Punjab Prohibition of Child Labour at Brick Kilns Ordinance 2016 and the Punjab Marriage Functions Ordinance 2015, were given an extension of 90 days.
The Punjab Civilian Victims of Terrorism (Relief and Rehabilitation) Ordinance 2016 was also laid in the House.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 2nd, 2016.
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