Ahsan who? PA takes no note of attack on interior minister

Issue of MCAT, ECAT entry tests comes under question again

LAHORE: Not one legislator of the treasury benches spoke a single word in the Punjab Assembly session to condemn the attack on Federal Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal.

The lack of interest in attending Punjab Assembly session was apparent when Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan continued calling the names of five movers whose questions were part of the agenda items put forward to the education department. However, since none of them were present, the questions were disposed of. Four movers belonged to PML-N, while the other, Dr Syed Waseem Akhtar, was of Jamaat-e-Islami.

Parliamentary Secretary for Higher Education Mehwish Sultana said classrooms had already been constructed based on the present number of students. She said this while responding to a question asked by another legislator on his behalf. She said five lecturers and one assistant professor had already been sent to ID Janjua Government College for women in Lala Moosa. She further stated the education system is being run through the CTIs at the moment.

After the question-answer session ended, PTI’s legislator Mian Muhammad Aslam Iqbal, speaking on a point of order, again raised the issue of Medical College Admission Tests and Engineering College Admission Tests. He demanded that Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan issue clear directions to the department concerned to protect the future of children.

He said the House had passed unanimously report of the special committee on the matter, but student children were still confused over whether or not they will be treated with the previous MCAT and ECAT system which legislators had recommended. The same was passed by the Assembly. However, the Speaker called the relevant officials to a hold meeting with him in seven days.

In previous proceedings, parliamentarians recommended reducing the percentage of weightage afforded to the entry tests of MCAT, ECAT to 10%, Matric/equivalent to 20% and Pakistan FSc/HSSC/Intermediate/equivalent to 70%. This was according to a report prepared by a special committee formed on the orders of Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan to consider issues related to entry tests. They also recommended that the government ensure that the entry test of MCAT and ECAT are conducted on two consecutive Sundays which fall within fifteen days of the last theory paper of any eligible intermediate group in Punjab. House proceedings started at 3:25, while the scheduled time was 2pm. On Monday, Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan prorogued the House for an uncertain time. However, another session of the Punjab Assembly is expected next week.

Price hike

PTI Central Vice President Shoaib Siddiqui, on Monday, submitted an adjournment motion in the provincial assembly against spiraling prices ahead of Ramazan. Siddiqui pointed out that essential commodities are being sold at inflated prices across Punjab, but no government writ was seen during the last days of the ruling party’s government. He said prices of seasonal fruit and vegetables are swelling in open markets and even in Sunday Bazaars.

Referring to media reports, Siddiqui said the government agencies fix prices of essential commodities daily, but failed to ensure availability at the notified rate. He said holy the month of Ramazan is about to start and prices of all essential commodities have been jacked up in the provinces. “Citizens are very upset owing to increasing inflations.” He asked the Punjab Assembly Speaker to halt the usual agenda and allow a debate on this pressing issue as prices of all essential commodities are expected to increase further during the holy month.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2018.