Hot words were also exchanged over the violent clash between workers of Pakistan Muslim League’s Nawaz and Quaid-i-Azam factions in Gujrat on Wednesday.
Earlier speaking on a call attention notice, Law Minister Rana Sanaullah told the house that a police constable was martyred in Khuddian, Kasur, in an exchange of fire with robbers. He said one of the nominated accused in the case has been arrested while another nominated accused and an unidentified accomplice are at large.
Sagheera Islam of the Pakistan Peoples Party raised the development funds issue on a point of order. She said the people expected and demanded certain things from their representatives.
However, she said, the women members were being discriminated against.
Sanaullah said a three member committee headed by Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa had been set up to review the matter. He said Senior Minister Raja Riaz and he were the other members of the committee.
He said the committee will consult the chief minister and present its recommendations in four days.
Uzma Zahid Bokhari of the PPP said the issue was not just the development funds. It was also about equality among lawmakers. She said women were being ignored.
Samina Khawar Hayat of the PML-Q said the debate about alloting funds to women members of the assembly was a joke. She said that provincial government’s treasury was empty and the government was running on an overdraft.
Deputy Speaker Rana Mashood Ahmed Khan said that there was no difference between men and women and all members of the assembly were equal. He said that the decision of the parliamentary committee on the mater should be kept in mind by all the members.
MPA Khadeeja Amir, protesting the clash between PML-N and PML-Q workers, said that the government was promoting the politics of revenge.
The PML-N’s Haji Imran, who represents a Gujrat constituency, said that the Q workers had attacked the N workers. He said the incident had happened in the presence of and with the consent of Chaudhry Shafaat Hussain, brother of PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
Question hour
In response to a question asked by Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal, Dr Saeed Elahi, the health parliamentary secretary, said that according to a verdict of the Supreme Court, only female doctors could perform an autopsy on women.
MPA Sheikh Allauddin said that the Supreme Court should review its verdict. He said that female doctors could not respond to cross questioning in courts properly and this might undermine investigation efforts in female murder cases. MPA Rana Afzal said that many of the renowned gynecologists in Pakistan were men. He said that if male doctors were permitted to become gynecologists, they should also be allowed to perform autopsies on women.
The speaker ordered an inquiry into the incident of additional salaries being given out at Ganga Ram Hospital. He said that the report be presented before the assembly by January 25.
Dr Elahi said that the Health Department was carrying out an inquiry into the embezzlement of medicines in local purchases at Jinnah Hospital. He said that strict action would be taken against those involved in the embezzlement.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2011.
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