Punjab Assembly: Opp walks out over PTI worker’s death

Govt’s strategy for dealing with protest questioned.

LAHORE: The killing of a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) worker in Faisalabad remained the focus of debate at the Provincial Assembly on Monday.

Opposition benches staged a walkout to protest the shooting at PTI men that led to agitation across the country.

The walkout only lasted a few minutes. Proceedings went quickly and the session on Monday was wrapped up in almost an hour.

Several ministers were absent from the treasury benches. The opposition expressed its concern over the government’s strategy to tackle the ongoing protests led by the PTI.

MPA Sardar Vickas Hassan Mokal criticised the government for the steps he said it had taken to deal with the PTI’s protest.

“I do not understand what the government is trying to achieve. Is it very important for the government to ensure the strike calls fail?” Mokal said.

He was repeatedly interrupted by Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan who asked the MPA not to comment on the Faisalabad unrest until the events had been investigated and the facts established.

Mokal said use of weapons during a confrontation between the workers of the PTI and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was unfortunate.

“Whatever is happening in Faisalabad is very sad. The government’s strategy must be condemned,” Syed Waseem Akhtar said.

Treasury MPAs also took part in the debate that led to a heated exchange between the two sides.

“It is regretful that people are being killed,” Khadija Umar said. She said the chief minister and the law minister should have been at the assembly to respond to the questions regarding the unrest.

“The government has not learnt anything from the Model Town episode,” she said.

The speaker told the House the law minister would respond to members’ questions on Tuesday (today).

Three opposition MPAs had boycotted the proceedings. However, they rejoined the session when treasury MPAs requested them on the speaker’s instruction.

Both opposition and treasury members were then seen commending the assembly’s intervention on the issue of sugarcane prices.

Syed Abdul Aleem praised the chief minister and the assembly for engaging in a constructive discussion on Friday that he said had resulted in the government addressing the issue immediately.

The purchase price has returned to Rs180 a maund from Rs150 a maund.

“After the matter was taken up in the Punjab Assembly, prices in Sindh, too, have been revised,” the MPA said.

The speaker said the issues related to sugarcane price and an agriculture policy would be discussed on Monday.

The session will resume at 10am on Tuesday (today).

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2014.