Punjab PA flays violence against Indian farmers

Treasury, opposition unanimously hail armed forces

LAHORE:

The treasury and opposition members of Punjab Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted two resolutions paying tribute to Pakistan’s armed forces and condemning the plight of farmers in India.

However, at one point during the proceedings a PTI lawmaker along with opposition legislators came down hard on Health Minister Yasmeen Rashid over her statement that those getting Covid-19 vaccine would be responsible themselves for any risks. They claimed the remarks were tantamount to spreading panic among people who wanted to save themselves from coronavirus. They asked why the vaccine had been brought to Pakistan if the government did not have confidence on it.

The assembly unanimously passed a resolution moved by PTI’s MPA Uzma Kardar, paying tribute to the armed forces over their inclusion in a list of 10 best militaries of the world. From 2019 to 2020, Pakistan stood 15th on the list, while in the current ranking it was 10th out of 138 countries, the resolution added.

The other resolution adopted unanimously was moved by PML-N’s Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora against the cruelty of Indian security agencies and government with poor farmers of the country. MPA Arora demanded that the government raise the issue at the world level so that the problems faced by Indian farmers could be solved.

Opposition grills govt over petroleum price hike

Meanwhile, treasury lawmaker Akbar Saeed Newani expressed displeasure over the health minister’s remarks about the Covid-19 vaccine.

PPP’s parliamentary leader Syed Hassan Murtaza claimed that the government had failed to bring the spread of coronavirus under control. He said the health minister’s statement was tantamount to spreading panic. PML-N’s former speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan lamented the non-implementation of the wheat support price of Rs2,000 per 40kg that was unanimously approved by the assembly.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2021.