Punjab Assembly: Opposition accuses govt of pre-poll rigging

Says it has been handing development budget to its workers at union council level.

LAHORE:

Punjab Assembly on Friday observed a minute’s silence and offered prayers for the victims of the terrorist attack on the Ismaili community in Karachi and those who died in the helicopter crash in Gilgit last week.

Law Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman presented a resolution on the helicopter crash in Gilgit in which several foreign diplomats and officials of the Pakistan Army died.

The resolution termed the incident a national tragedy and expressed gratitude to the army officers who had died trying to save those on board the helicopter.

Opposition Leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed presented a resolution on the terrorist attack at Safoora Chowk. The resolution called on the House to condemn the attack in the strongest words. It said the attack had left the entire nation bereaved. The resolution condemned the alleged involvement of foreign elements behind the incident and assured support for the armed forces.

During the question hour, members of the Opposition staged a symbolic walkout accusing the government of pre-poll rigging in local government elections.

Parliamentary Secretary on Health Khawaja Imran Nazeer said the government was trying to ensure the availability of doctors under the health sector reforms introduced in the province.

He said 66 per cent of the availability had been addressed through reforms. “These reforms are being evaluated and monitored by a third party.” The secretary told the House that a bill against quackery would be introduced in the House soon. He said a final draft would be ready in a month’s time.

Rasheed said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has been handing development budgets to its political workers in union councils. This, he said, amounted to pre-poll rigging.

He said there were three months left before the local elections and the government was exercising undue influence through the development budget.

He said that the Opposition would protest against this discrimination. The Opposition staged a walkout with the Treasury benches shouting “shame, shame”.

The parliamentary secretary responded to Rasheed’s allegations saying all development work was being done through government departments. He condemned Rasheed’s remarks saying that some MPAs, who followed progress in their constituencies, had been pressuring the government to speed up work in their areas. “Other MPAs who don’t attend Assembly sessions because they are involved in dharna politics wouldn’t know… they cannot ensure welfare of the people in their constituencies.”

The law minister laid two ordinances – the Provincial Motor Vehicles (amendment) Ordinance and the Punjab Mass Transit Authority Ordinance. They were referred to the standing committee on transport with directions to submit a report on them in two months.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2015.