LAHORE:
A resolution was moved on Monday in the provincial assembly in support of democracy, the prime minister and the chief minister. The resolution condemning undemocratic forces was moved by Law Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman.
“Undemocratic forces, in political guise, are creating a political crisis in the country. The democratic forces should fight them. The salvation of the country lies in the continuation of the democratic process,” the resolution said.
The draft resolution expressed complete confidence in Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. “The house reassures them of its complete confidence in their abilities,” it said.
Opening the debate on the resolution, former law minister Rana Sanaullah said that the nation must come together to deal with the political situation. “The ongoing crisis has affected every single person in the country,” he said. Sanaullah said that the political instability had increased the economic problems for the country.
The opposition members criticised the government. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmakers urged Shahbaz Sharif to attend the assembly sessions. “It would have been better if the CM was himself present in the house. Unfortunately, he has no time for parliamentarians,” Sardar Shahabud Din Khan said. He claimed that the government had reached an understanding with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) members, who had submitted their resignations.
PPP parliamentary leader Qazi Ahmad Saeed said that his party had always supported democracy. “We will never allow democracy to be derailed.
We stand firmly behind democracy, but not necessarily with the government. At one stage, the government felt so threatened by the ‘container revolutionaries’ that it diverted all its resources towards stopping them. The government should listen to all protesters. This is a democracy not a monarchy,” he said.
Faiza Malik criticised the government for not making public the judicial commission’s report on the Model Town incident.
The ruling party’s Khalil Tahir Sindhu, however, said those waiting for the third umpire’s finger to go up would be disappointed.
Earlier, Tariq Mahmood Bajwa of the ruling party also took oath as a member. He was elected from PP-170 (Nankana Sahib) in the 2013 general elections. However, he was stopped from taking the oath following allegations that his educational degree was counterfeit.
He criticised PTI chairman Imran Khan, saying: “Some trouble-makers are following foreign agenda in the name of change and revolution. Where were they when the Lal Masjid incident occurred?”
Five ordinances were also introduced. All were referred to the standing committees. These were: The Ordinance on the Punjab Local Government 2014, the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Ordinance 2014, the Punjab Higher Education Commission Ordinance 2014, the Nur International University Lahore Ordinance 2014 and the Punjab Explosives (amendment) Ordinance 2014.
Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan asked the standing committees to submit their reports on the ordinances within two months. The report on the local government ordinance was demanded within a week.
The membership of 44 MPAs remained suspended for not declaring their assets. According to the public relations officer at the Punjab Assembly, a list of 98 members had been sent to the assembly by the Election Commission on October 15. “By Monday morning, that figure had dropped to 83. Those suspended on this account also include leader of the opposition Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed,” he said. Members have to declare their assets annually to the EC.
The house offered fateha for the souls of MPAs Najeebullah Niazi and Khurram Gulfam who had passed away. Prayers were also offered for the flood-affected and the eight labourers killed in Lasbela on Sunday.
The session will resume on Tuesday (today) at 10am. None of the PTI members who have tendered their resignations attended the session.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2014.
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