Punjab Assembly's Law and order session turns into mudslinging match

LAHORE: The general discussion on law and order in the Punjab Assembly went off track with the opposition and treasury benches defending their respective party leaderships over corruption allegations. They challenged the other to prove any charges against their members.

The opposition demanded that NAB also arrest members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for alleged corruption.

PML-N MPAs put the onus of the prevailing inflation, insecurity and deteriorating law and order situation on PTI, while the latter said it was during the previous government that innocent people were being gunned down in the Model Town massacre.

Whereas the legislators were divided on several issues, they seemed on one page over punishing those protesters who were arrested in the recent protests for causing chaos and destruction. The protests broke out after the Supreme Court overturned the death sentence of blasphemy accused Aasia Bibi.

Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan of PML-N said appointments in the police department and transfers of senior officials reflected the mindset of PTI which claimed it would make the force free of politics. “There are no differences between the thoughts of the NAB DG and the PTI spokesperson. NAB should [also[ arrest those elements sitting in PTI’s government rather than focusing one party,” he said.

Minister for Industries, Commerce and Investment Mian Aslam Iqbal questioned how PML-N legislators could talk about law and order when innocent people were killed in the Model Town massacre during their tenure. “They are in the assemblies merely to protect their corruption.”

Minister for Public Prosecution Chaudhry Zaheeruddin said that the only U-turn taken by PTI was the one on the road which led to catching those guilty of looting public money. Meanwhile, PML-N’s Rana Mashhood said PTI and NAB had made an alliance against his party.

“Thousands of cases are running in NAB, but it is adamant to only arrest PML-N lawmakers. Why does NAB not arrest those sitting in government?” he asked the house.

The root of this ruckus was Minister for Information & Culture Fayazul Hasan Chohan’s allegation that Rana Mashhood would to receive cheques worth billions in the middle of the night. In retaliation, PML-N lawmakers stood up and accused Chohan of making personal attacks to which they wanted to reply. However, Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhary Pervez Elahi did not allow them to do so, saying they already had their chance to speak.

Pakistan Peoples Party’s (Parliamentarian) Syed Usman Mehmood said there was a need to form a committee to control incidents of abduction for ransom in Rahim Yar Khan and adjoining areas. “South Punjab is being ignored in terms of the law and order situation,” he further stated.

Former minister for Human Rights and Minority Affairs Khalil Tahir Sindhu of the PML-N asked why Babar Awan, Aleem Khan and others were not being arrested by NAB. Peer Muhammad Ashraf Rasool said PTI and NAB had made an alliance which would lead the country to destruction.

As the session started at 11:50am despite a scheduled time of 10am, a resolution was taken out of turn by suspending the rules and legislators of both benches unanimously passed a resolution to condemning the murder of Maulana Samiul Haq. They also paid tribute to the contribution of the politics of the deceased.

Muhammad Moavia of Pakistan Rah-e-Haq demanded that the house investigate the incident and that a report be presented within 20 days. He also lashed out at Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar for his orders to withdraw security personnel who were deputed for the protection of politicians and other vulnerable personalities.

There was also further ruckus in the house when six PML-N MPAs, whose entry had been banned by Speaker Chaudhary Pervez Elahi, entered the house with placards of former chief minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif. Both sides started chanting slogans against each other.

Later, Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari prorogued the session for an indefinite time.