Treasury MPA alleges threats from Chaudharis

Opposition responds by shouting ‘chor machai shor’.

LAHORE: PML-N lawmaker Chaudhry Imran said on a point of order during Punjab Assembly proceeding on Friday that he was receiving death threats “for raising my voice against the Chaudary brothers’ hooliganism”.

He said they should be considered responsible if something were to happen to him or to his family. Imran asked for additional security, saying that he received a threatening phone call on Friday morning. He said it was members of the “Wajahat force” who were threatening him. Opposition members responded by chanting ‘chor machai shor’ (thieves are pointing fingers at others).

PML-Q lawmaker Khadeeja Umer alleged that Imran had gotten elected to the assembly by cheating. She said now he was inventing false death threats to gain attention.

Speaking on a point of order, Rana Muhammad Afzal said the concrete fences erected in front of the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic) were disturbing traffic. He suggested that the office be moved to some other location. Sanaullah said that the road had been cordoned off for security reasons.

Opposition member Mohsin Leghari objected to the allotment of a house by the provincial government to former president Rafiq Tarrar. He said only the federal government could allot a house to a former president.

Sanaullah said the provincial government allotted the house on June 7, 2008, after the federal government failed to do so. He said the federal government should compensate by giving one of its houses to the provincial government.

Information dept ‘needs overhaul’

During question hour, Sanaullah said the Information Department needed a complete overhaul. He said 10 director slots and a temporary director (Electronic Media) were still vacant in the department.

To lawmaker Malik Amir Dogar’s question about the department’s Multan office, the law minister said there were 56 employees in the division. To another question, he said 27 dailies were being published from Gujranwala.

Earlier, the deputy speaker ordered an inquiry into Dost Muhammad Khosa’s absence from the assembly proceeding. He sought a report on the matter by January 24. The house was told that he was in Dera Ghazi Khan in connection with an upcoming by election. An opposition lawmaker said that according to the code of the Election Commission of Pakistan, elected members were not allowed to canvass for a by-election.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2011.