Rioting in assembly unforgettable: CM

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said on Monday that the political norms of tolerance and fraternity had been promoted in the province but police intrusion and rioting in the provincial assembly last year was a dark chapter of history.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the new assembly building, he said the police had trespassed the legislature “at the behest of our turncoat deputy speaker and other henchmen of the PML-N”. The police could never enter the assembly and resort to an attack in this way, he added.

He alleged that PML-N workers had entered the hall, created havoc and injured women. A member of the assembly, Aasia Bibi, was seriously injured, but she had recovered.

The intrusion of police into the Punjab Assembly could not be forgotten, he added. Police intrusion and rioting in the assembly was a dark chapter of history and the incident was a stigma on the PML-N that would remain a part of history, the CM stated.

He said the provincial government had countered the opposition through its performance but the PML-N resorted to wrongdoing. He said the opposition party came returned to power after every five or 10 years and wasted the previous development initiatives.

The chief minister said the Punjab Assembly had done the maximum legislation in the country’s history under the leadership of former prime minister Imran Khan. Legislation for the service of the religion was an honour, he maintained.

He said the development work had resumed from where it had been left off. “We had to wait for 15 years for the completion of the new assembly building,” he added.

He said the old building of the assembly had been built in 1938. “When I became the speaker, I first built a mosque and laid the foundation stone of the new building,” he recalled.

The chief minister said Turkish experts had called the dome of the new assembly building a miracle.

He said more important was the legislation regarding Khatm-e-Nabuwwat (PBUH), Nazra and translation of Holy Quran, Muttahida Ulema Board and Khatam-e-Nabuwwat (PBUH) University.

The assembly had also passed law about the Rescue 1122 service, free medicines in emergency, three-fold salary for doctors and Jubilee Town Dental Institute. The scholarship for girls in South Punjab was increased to 100 per cent. The Public Defender Act would provide free legal aid to the people up to the Supreme Court, he noted.

The chief minister regretted that the national exchequer had been burdened by creating obstacles in the construction of a block of the assembly for 10 years.

“We have always established an atmosphere of brotherhood and good political traditions. Unfortunately, our opponents have destroyed our good traditions. If one does not follow good traditions, politicians are defamed,” he added.

Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said the new building would fulfil the needs for the next 100 years as it could accommodate 500 lawmakers with voting lobbies for 200 members each.

There is a capacity of up to 800 people in the Speaker's Chamber, officers, media and visitors’ galleries.

He said offices had been built for the chief minister, speaker, deputy speaker, ministers and leader of opposition.

Apart from this, three committee and a conference room, library and cafeteria facilities have also been provided besides parking for 400 vehicles.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2023.