PA approves extension of five ordinances

Opposition walks out, points out quorum

LAHORE:

The Punjab Assembly on Monday approved three-month extension for five ordinances despite protest by the opposition.

Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Muhammad Basharat Raja moved a motion to extend the period of the ordinances remaining in effect, which was passed by a majority vote. He extension of the Sugar Factories Control Amendmen Ordinance 2012, Sugar Factories Control Second Amendment Ordinance 2012, Punjab Local Government Amendment Ordinance 2012, Profits of Companies (Workers' Contribution) Amendment Ordinance 2020 and Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commission Amendment Ordinance 2020 was approved.

The opposition opposed the resolution to and PML-N MPA Samiullah Khan sought permission to speak against it. However, the speaker did not allow him to speak and the opposition members walked out of the session. They tore copies of the agenda and chanted slogans against Prime Minister Imran Khan and the government. Meanwhile, PML-N Chief Whip Khalil Tahir Sindh pointed out the quorum, on which Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi declared the quorum complete. Law Minister Basharat Raja also introduced six ordinances and four bills in the House for approval, on which the speaker sought reports from the standing committees concerned within two months. All the government agenda was completed in spite of the pandemonium caused by the opposition.

The government had convened the session of the Punjab Assembly because the ordinances were becoming ineffective on expiry. In a session last month, the opposition did not allow legislation to take place. During the question hour related to the labour and human resource department, the speaker expressed displeasure over nonrelease of funds for development projects in accordance with the budget approved by the assembly. He said that if the decisions of the assembly were not obeyed then it should be shut. The Cabinet Committee on Finance and Development is an obstacle. "It has been six months since the Punjab budget was passed. In the budget, funds have been allocated for Wazirabad Institute of Cardiology but they have not been released yet," he said. He said hundreds of patients were being affected by the delay in the release of funds. Prime Minister Imran Khan had also commented on the situation regarding the project.

"I asked the Punjab chief minister for this project on which funds were set aside." The speaker referred the matter to a special committee headed by the law minister. This committee will hold an inquiry into the matter and propose measures in this regard. Labor Minister Ansar Majeed Niazi, in response to a question from Khalil Tahir Sindhu, admitted that the finance department had stopped stipends for school children from families working at brick kilns. The speaker adjourned the question. Opposition Leader Hamza Shehbaz's production order was issued, on which he came to the assembly and attended a meeting of the PML-N parliamentary party but did not participate in the session of the House.