Treasury chooses to avoid govt business

Ruling party points out lack of quorum to prorogue session

LAHORE: In a rare turn of events, the treasury benches pointed to the lack of quorum during Punjab Assembly proceedings, while the opposition was ready to continue the session.

In usual circumstances, it is the opposition which points out a lack of quorum, mainly to be a thorn in the side of the treasury as it runs government business. However, the government, on this occasion, did not seem to be committed to running proceedings on the pretext that this session was summoned on the opposition’s requisition.

The government preferred to leave the house, ignoring assembly proceedings and avoiding replying to the opposition’s queries.

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The initially smooth proceedings were interrupted when some PML-N lawmakers pointed out to Panel Chairman Mian Muhammad Shafi that their former minorities minster, MPA Khalil Tahir Sindhu, was sitting on his seat with a black cloth tied around his lips. They urged the chair to inquire about the reason for this action.

Sindhu was still not allowed to speak and PML-N lawmakers protested in front of the panel chairman’s chair. Finally, the former minister was allowed to express his point of view and revealed that Parliamentary, Religious Affairs and Research Director General Inayat Ullah Lak hurt his religious sentiments by using a derogatory term against him.

He also wanted to bring a “call to attention notice” over the killing of Badal Masih, a child from a minority community, who had been abused and murdered. However, Lak interrupted the MPA and said that the PML-N had chanted slogans against PA Speaker Chaudhary Pervez Elahi.

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In an emotional reply, Sindhu asked if there was a fault in belonging to a minority. SIndhu said it was best to say goodbye to an assembly in which minorities were not respected. In response, current Punjab Minister for Minorities Ijaz Masih said Sindhu should also talk about that girl domestic help who had allegedly been assaulted by PML-N MPA Mian Tahir Jameel in Faisalabad.

However, Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari directed the minorities minister to personally look into the matter and conduct an inquiry before submitting a report on the matter within 10 days.

“It is highly unfortunate if such an incident has taken place,” the deputy speaker remarked.

However, rather than speaking about the actual issue, the treasury and opposition started a mudslinging competition.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2019.