An empty House: Punjab Assembly session begins without a single MPA in the house

Proceedings started at 11:12am despite a scheduled time of 10am

LAHORE: It was more than shocking for Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan that not a single legislator of the treasury or opposition benches was in the house when he entered Thursday’s Punjab Assembly session. It was not until 11:00am that proceedings got underway. The recitation of the Holy Quran was done without a single legislator present.

The indifference of the legislators is nothing new in the Punjab Assembly, but on Thursday, there were only staff members who greeted the speaker while the both the treasury and opposition benches wore a deserted look.

The proceedings of the House started at 11:12am despite a scheduled time of 10am. Treasury bencher Abdur Razzaq Dhillon entered the House and then immediately went back into the lobby, perhaps to inform the legislators that the session had already begun. Meanwhile, Chief Whip of the PML-N, Rana Arshad, entered the House and was shocked see it empty.



During the question hour, a PML-N legislator Abu Hafs Muhammad Ghiyasuddin, on a point of order, strongly opposed the appreciation of Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) by School Education Minister Rana Mashhood Khan. He claimed the government handed over 90 schools of Narowal to The Citizen Foundation (TCF) which he claimed was run by Ahmadis.

The speaker tried to point out that it was question hour and he could not raise a point of order during this period. However, the MPA continued speaking.

Responding to a question of an independent member Ehsan Riaz Fatyana as to why the classes of 8th, 9th and 10th were not being held in Muzaffargarh schools being run by PEF, the minister said the foundation was initially dealing with schools up to class five and then gradually it would be given higher classes. He said the Punjab government’s PEF model was also being replicated in Africa, Brazil and other countries, owing to its success.

He said the model was also appreciated in Alif Ailaan and World Bank’s reports.

He said there were 1.2 million male and female students in schools when the PEF project was launched. “Now the number of students has swelled to 2.6 million.”

Meanwhile, responding to the question of opposition leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed on illegal appointment of 452 service centre officials in land record centres, Parliamentary Secretary Nazia Raheel said the anti-corruption department had arrested the responsible person and an inquiry was being conducted.

Later, Ehsan Riaz Fatyana pointed out the quorum and the House was adjourned till 9am on Friday (today) after the government failed to show the required number of the legislators.



Speaker takes action

Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan barred PML-N legislator and parliamentary secretary for tourism Mian Tahir (MPA PP-69) from sitting in the House on October 26 and 27 following the MPA’s misconduct with Mian Muhammad Jameel, the staff officer of the Speaker. The latter did not allow the legislator’s guests to sit and witness Punjab Assembly proceedings in the speaker box. The officer requested the parliamentary secretary that there was no room in the Speaker Box and said he would accommodate the guests as soon as there was some space available. However, the MPA used abusive language over which the security officers had to intervene and pacify the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2017.