Opposition in Punjab Assembly boycotts session over killing of PIA workers

MPAs walked out of the assembly and briefly arranged a sit-in on assembly building’s stairs

LAHORE: In protest against killings of PIA workers in Karachi, opposition in the Punjab Assembly boycotted the proceedings on Wednesday.

Members of the opposition walked out of the assembly and briefly arranged a sit-in on assembly building’s stairs.

All domestic and international flights of PIA remain cancelled as standoff between the government and the national airline’s employees turned deadly on Tuesday. Three protesters were killed by ‘mysterious’ gunshots during a violent protest at Karachi airport.

“The government has refreshed memories of the Model Town incident once again,” Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed told reporters.



“This act of killing protesting workers would even shame a dictator," he said. “The government has failed in giving relief to the people."

Pakistan Peoples Party representative Khurrum Wattoo said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed were responsible for the incident.



Jamat-e-Islami member Dr Waseem Akhtar said his party would support PIA workers across the country.

Meanwhile, the house passed four bills in its proceedings during the day.



The Punjab Revenue Authority (Amendment) Bill 2015, The Infrastructure Development Authority of the Punjab Bill, The Punjab Food Authority (Amendment) Bill and The Punjab Pure Food (Amendment) Bill 2015 were all passed by the assembly in absence of the opposition.

The Punjab Animal Slaughter Control (Amendment) Bill 2016 was also introduced.