Opposition slams govt silence on Iran-Israel tensions

Calls for unity echo in PA amid heated debate

LAHORE:

Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly, Moin Riaz Qureshi, on Monday condemned Israeli actions against Iran, criticising the government for its silence and urging political unity amid rising regional tensions.

Speaking during the assembly session, he said the opposition had requisitioned the sitting to highlight public issues, but discussion on law and order began late in the evening.

He termed it "unfortunate" that no government representative had condemned the situation despite the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict.

"We, as the opposition, strongly condemn Israeli aggression," he said, adding that elected representatives are accountable to the people.

He alleged that intense bombardment was taking place in Iran, affecting civilians, including children.

He urged the government to exercise caution in its statements, noting that Iran is not only a neighbouring country but also shares religious ties with Pakistan.

Qureshi called on the government to take all political stakeholders into confidence, warning that internal divisions could weaken the country's external standing.

"If you are strong internally, you will be strong at the borders," he remarked, stressing the need for unity in view of economic challenges.

Earlier, the session, chaired by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, began after a delay of one hour and 17 minutes.

During the proceedings, journalists staged a token walkout and protested on the assembly stairs against layoffs in private media organisations.

The protest was led by members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery and supported by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ).

Lawmakers, including Iftikhar Chhachhar, informed the House that the protest was directed at media owners rather than the government or opposition.

They said journalists were being dismissed without justification despite years of service.

The protesting journalists demanded that federal and Punjab governments link official advertisements with payment of employees' salaries to ensure financial security.

Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan directed members to draft a resolution on the issue with input from both treasury and opposition benches.

Following assurances from lawmakers, including Rana Arshad, Arshad Malik and Iftikhar Chhachhar, the journalists ended their boycott and returned to the session.

During the question hour, Provincial Irrigation Minister Kazim Pirzada responded to queries regarding departmental performance.

Opposition member Rana Aftab Ahmad highlighted that 412 rest houses under the irrigation department generated only Rs371,000 annually, raising concerns over poor revenue management.

The minister acknowledged the issue and assured strict measures, including installation of CCTV cameras and enforcement of payments from all users, including officials and lawmakers.

He said a comprehensive review would be conducted with proper record-keeping.

Rana Aftab Ahmad also criticised what he termed unjust traffic challans, saying citizens were not receiving relief despite assurances of review.

Responding to the concerns, the deputy speaker and other government members emphasised institutional accountability, stating that action would be taken against any misconduct by police officials.

Lawmakers also expressed concern over delayed payments in the health sector, urging prompt resolution of the issue.