Oppositions walks out after Punjab Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2017 left pending

Rana Sanaullah suggested bill should first be discussed in presence of concerned authorities

LAHORE: The opposition benches walked out of the Punjab Assembly in protest against the conduct of Deputy Speaker Sardar Sher Ali Gorchani for keeping the Punjab Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2017 pending will next week. They were up in arms over the delay despite the fact that nobody in the house opposed opposition leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed.

Rasheed believed the chaotic traffic in Lahore could be inaugurated through this bill. In it, he had suggested a separate lane for motorbikes on roads over 80 feet in width.

He said hundreds of accidents were being reported in Lahore due to the traffic situation. He stressed that “this bill should not be killed”.



When the deputy speaker asked provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah if the bill should be passed, the latter replied by saying there was little doubt that the traffic system needed discussion. However, he stressed that the bill was limited to this particular legislation in terms of scope.

He said a discussion could be had and suggestions made. The minister continued there was no objection to the specific amendment. At the same time, he pointed out that there would be no need for the legislation if authorities concerned defined that there was already a relevant law in place.



The treasury finally supported the opposition, but Sanaullah again suggested the bill should first be discussed in the presence of the concerned authorities rather than sending it to the committee.

The Punjab Anand Karaj Bill 2017 was also introduced by PML-N’s Ramesh Singh Arora. Consequently, the deputy speaker sought a report from the human rights committee within two months. Through this bill, each and every marriage between members of the Sikh community, whether solemnized before or after this act, shall be registered with a union council.

Each union council shall grant license to one or more persons, to be called marriage registrars, so they can enter marriages into the registry.



Under this act, every marriage not entered by the registrar shall be notified to the union council by the person who solemnised it by submitting a duly completed Anand Karaj form within thirty days of the date of the wedlock.

Whoever, anyone not adhering to the provisions mentioned above could be punished with a fine which may extend to one Rs1,000.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 25^th, 2017.