Punjab Assembly. PHOTO: APP
The Provincial Assembly on Friday unanimously passed a resolution condemning the death sentence awarded to Jamaat-i-Islami leader Motiur Rahman by a Bangladeshi court. The resolution was tabled by Jamat-i-Islami’s MPA Waseem Akhtar.
Earlier, members from the opposition benches had staged a walk-out from session for not being allowed to debate the Panama Papers issue in Friday’s session.
Leader of Opposition Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed said his adjournment motion to suspend proceedings of the House and start a debate on the Panama Papers issue had not been taken up.
Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said he was willing to debate the subject if the Opposition agreed to not walk out. This prompted members from the Opposition to chant slogans against the government and walk out.
The scheduled business for the day, which included tabling of The Punjab Agriculture, Food and Drug Authority Ordinance 2016, could not be completed. Nabeela Hakim Ali of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) pointed out the quorum before walking out.
The speaker then adjourned the session till Monday for lack of quorum.
No schools in Christrian locality
Youhanabad, Pakistan’s largest Christian locality, does not have a single public school, the Provincial Assembly was told on Friday.
Shehzad Munshi, a Christian lawmaker from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had asked a question about the number of schools in the area. He also asked about facilities at the schools.
The House was told that there was no school in Youhanabad although the government had approved funds for a high school for girls.
Munshi rebutted the claim, saying the school was being constructed in Asif Town, which was a separate neighbourhood.
A committee was then formed to assess the situation on the ground. “Girls suffer most on account of lack of a public school in Youhanabad which has a population of more than 150,000 people. The committee should report on why no space has been allocated in Youhanabad for schools,” said Munshi.
Earlier, speaking to reporters outside Provincial Assembly, Leader of the Opposition Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed said if the government did not accept the terms of references (TORs) presented by opposition, a protest movement against the PML-N would be launched.
He said accountability should begin with the prime minister.
“If the government does not change its TORs, the opposition also stand by its own TORs,” he said. He said the government was mistaken if it believed Maulana Fazlur Rehman could rescue it.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2016.
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