PA condemns attack on ex-CJ's vehicle

Opposition, treasury spar over environmental measures, arrest of PTI members

LAHORE:

The Punjab Assembly, with a majority vote, passed a resolution condemning the recent attack on the vehicle of former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Qazi Faez Isa, in London. The resolution demanded that those responsible for the incident be brought to justice.

The Assembly session also witnessed heated debates as treasury and opposition lawmakers accused each other of failing to manage the worsening smog crisis in Punjab.

The opposition, led by PTI members, staged a walkout in protest of what they termed as "illegal and unlawful" arrests of PTI lawmakers, including Opposition Leader Ahmad Khan Bhachar.

During the proceedings, opposition member Muhammad Ijaz Shafi questioned Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and senior officials' presence in London, highlighting that the province is battling severe smog.

"Smog has engulfed Punjab, impacting millions, yet the government has failed to take substantial measures," Shafi argued.

Citing a UNICEF report, he added, "Around 11 million children are affected by smog in Punjab, with 12% facing fatal consequences." He called for a smog emergency declaration and suggested forming a committee to report daily on mitigation efforts.

Speaker Khan also formed a committee to investigate safety concerns raised by PPP's Ali Haider Gillani over life threats faced by fellow party member Ali Mumtaz Chang due to his efforts against Kacha area bandits.

Additionally, PML-N's Amjad Ali Javed disclosed a scam involving a "mafia" charging farmers between Rs400 and Rs600 per card, urging action against those involved.

In a significant ruling, Speaker Khan addressed complaints about police certificates labelling individuals as "record yafta" based solely on their names appearing in FIRs.