Punjab Assembly lauds air force’s efficient response

Five bills passed including two on skill development and technical education


Rana Yasif February 28, 2019
PHOTO: EXPRESS

LAHORE:  

The Punjab Assembly passed a joint resolution on Wednesday to applaud the precise reaction taken by the Pakistan Air Force to shoot down two Indian fighter jets which invaded Pakistani airspace.

The out of turn resolution was passed unanimously as both the treasury and opposition signed the resolution. The resolution, read by Punjab Minister for Law Raja Basharat, paid tribute to the armed forces of Pakistan. The resolution was jointly moved by Minister for Housing Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, former speaker Rana Iqbal and Minister for Law Raja Basharat.

The resolution lauded Pakistan Air Force’s successful response of shooting down Indian aircrafts which violated Pakistani airspace and stated that one of the pilots was in custody. “Pakistan has also supported peace, but the political and military leadership of India, involved in war hysteria, has prompted our forces to take such action in self-defence,” read the resolution. “This house demands that the international community take action against the Indian government for putting world peace at stake just to win the next elections,” it concluded.

The session kicked off with PA Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in the chair and five bills were passed. The government managed to pass ‘The Punjab Skills Development Authority Bill’, ‘The Punjab Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (amendment) Bill’, ‘The Punjab Board of Technical Education (amendment) Bill’ and ‘The Provincial Assembly of the Punjab Secretariat Employees Bill’.

Opposing the Punjab Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority Bill, PML-N’s Waris Kallu demanded that the matter be referred to the standing committee concerned instead of it being passed in haste.

He criticized the PTI government and said its MPAs used to criticise the PML-N for asserting authority and said the current ruling party is now doing the same.

The Punjab Board of Technical Education (amendment) Bill was also opposed by PML-N’s Azma Bukhari and Khalil Tahir Sandhu who also demanded the matter be referred to the standing committee. The law minister rejected the suggestions of the opposition and passed the said bills with a simple majority.

Speaking on a point of order, Azma Bukhari said that the government should strengthen the standing committees which, according to her, were powerless. She added that the government should make ministers and lawmakers as head of different authorities instead of relying on the bureaucracy.

Commenting on the situation, Raja Basharat agreed that standing committees were not powerful in the past, but stressed that those days were long gone and the current bodies would be strengthened under the supervision of PA Speaker Pervaiz Elahi.

Provincial ministers Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Aslam Iqbal said that in the past, the suggestions of the opposition were thrown in the dustbin when PML-N was in the government and PTI used to sit on the opposition benches.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Assembly unanimously made an amendment to production orders of arrested MPAs. According to new amendment, any arrested MPA, who is a member of any committee of the house, can attend meetings after production orders are issued by the Speaker. The speaker adjourned the session till Thursday after the completion of the agenda.

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