Punjab Assembly session: Opposition cranks up pressure on government

Boycotts legislative proceedings, calls for accountability on Panama leaks

LAHORE: Standing true to its words, the opposition on Friday staged a fierce protest inside the Punjab Assembly against the government over the Panama Papers controversy, stalling the session for several minutes as the House echoed with ‘Go Nawaz Go’.

But while it scored on that count, the opposition’s eventual boycott led to its absence from the passage of a resolution strongly condemning Indian atrocities in Kashmir.

The resolution unanimously passed by as many as 56 treasury lawmakers was moved by Law Minister Rana Sanaullah in the absence of the opposition.

The resolution expressed concerns over the hundreds of people injured in Kashmir by the use of pellet guns by Indian armed forces. “The entire nation stands united on the issue regardless of political affiliations. Kashmir is the incomplete agenda of the Partition and this House supports the freedom struggle in the Occupied Valley,” the declaration stated while condemning the false Indian claims of ‘surgical strikes’ and its unprovoked firing at the LoC.

Panamagate scandal

The opposition had already warned the government it would not let the assembly session proceed unless Panama allegations were addressed, and they stood firm on Friday.

On a point of order, Opposition Leader in PA Mehmoodur Rasheed criticised the government, taking cue from the remarks attributed to the top judge of the country with reference to the Punjab government’s flagship Orange Line project.

As the opposition benches sprung into action, anti-government slogans resonated through the assembly. Apart from a few female legislators who responded, the treasury members remained quiet with the law minister watching the protest in silence.

Rasheed also took pot-shots at the government over the recent episode involving Dawn’s controversial story on civil-military relations, terming the news a ‘conspiracy against the armed forces’.

The report, he alleged, was an attempt to malign the forces through leaks staged by the government from a ‘top-level meeting’.

Despite the intense sloganeering, an adamant speaker continued the proceedings only to adjourn the session for 20 minutes for prayer break, after which the opposition boycotted the remaining session.

The opposition’s protest continued in the assembly courtyard as it chanted anti-Nawaz slogans while holding banners demanding accountability.

Speaking to the media, the opposition leader reiterated the government would be responsible for any harm that may come to democracy in the wake of their protests.

Rasheed was, however, dismissive about the possibility of PTI lawmakers resigning from assemblies in the wake of the accountability campaign, saying it was all speculative at this stage.

Question hour

During the question hour, parliamentary health secretary Khawaja Imran Nazeer was forced to accept there was a shortage of cardiac surgeons throughout the province that has pressured Lahore’s Punjab Institute of Cardiology.

The secretary was also given a tough time for his claims on the number of beds in Jinnah and Ganga Ram hospitals with MPA Faiza Malik disputing the figures vociferously. Nazeer claimed the government was working on revamping 40 hospitals, which among other facilities would also incorporate friendly spaces for people with disabilities.

As Nazeer was quizzed aggressively by the opposition over unsatisfactory answers, he admitted the lawmakers’ observation regarding incorrect answers coming from departments was valid. He added he had suspended two officials of his department. But when PTI’s Ahmad Khan Bhachar asked the names of the officials, the secretary was unable to respond, saying answers were often given by clerical staff in the department.

New lawmakers

Earlier, two lawmakers of PML-N Umar Farooq from PP-7 and Yousaf Kaselya from PP-232 took oath while the amended Punjab Criminal Prosecution Service (Constitution, Functions and Powers) Bill 2016 and the Punjab Animals Feed Stuff and Compound Feed Bill 2016 were also introduced.

The session has been adjourned till Monday afternoon.

Prior to the session, Law Minister Sanaullah took a dig at Imran Khan, calling him a “suicidal” politician while commenting on the party’s plan to shut Islamabad down on October 30.

“[Imran] is wearing a suicide jacket which the government is trying to defuse patiently,” he said while continuing to take pot-shots at the PTI chief, claiming in other countries people like Imran were admitted to mental asylums.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2016.