LAHORE - Rejecting all objections and amendments of the Opposition, the Punjab Assembly Thursday passed the Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commission (Amendment) Bill 2015 and failed to legislate other three bills which related to setting up two new universities and giving University status to Fatma Jinnah Medical College, Lahore.
The House was going through second reading of the FJMC University bill when the Opposition pointed out lack quorum – total fourth time during the government business day, and it was counted short of the mandatory presence of 93 members in the House. On it the chair put off the session until 9am on Friday (today) when the Assembly will proceed further with the 14th session.
The session started 45 minutes late to the fixed time with Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan in the chair.
The House was to legislate also on University of Jhang and University of Sahiwal bills which could not come to proceedings during four hours sitting of the assembly as much time was lost after the Opposition had pointed out the quorum.
The Opposition also staged a walkout to register protest against the JIT report on the Model Town killing of 14 innocent workers of the Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) on June 17 last when police and the PAT men clashed outside Idara Minhajul Quran over barricades issue.
Leader of the Opposition Mian Mahmudur Rashid described the incident worst in the Punjab history and added, but the JIT had given clean chit to all on whom responsibility was fixed by Justice Ali Baqar Najfi’s commission. He said the report aimed at allowing the actual culprits go scot free so they rejected the same outright.
Spokesman for the Punjab government, Zaeem Hussain Qadri in counter argument said the JIT was founded as per the requirement of the PAT which had moved the court to get a case registered on the incident. He said if the Opposition had any objection to its findings, it could move the superior courts. He said the JIT had time and again called for the evidence of the PAT but it did not bother to appear to give its point of view.
The situation intensified as both sides begun to chant slogans against each other. The Opposition chanted ‘Go Nawaz Go’ and the Treasury ‘Ro Imran Ro.’ The House resumed the proceedings after the Opposition staged a walk out but re-entered the house as soon as government business started.
On the bill for Overseas Pakistanis Commission, the Opposition members Sibtain Khan, Dr Waseem Akhtar, Mian Aslam Iqbal and Sadia Sohail Rana said, in view of the plight of the Pakistanis abroad, a larger committee should be set up to frame law on protecting their rights and giving them right to votes.
They said bureaucracy has been given key role in the Commission when fact of the matter is, babus are the key players in spoiling things as they hardly compromise on their stiff neck attitude to serve the public.
In reply, Minster Mujtaba Shujaur Rahman said all aspects were looked into deeply before framing of the law on Commission which he added, would have overseas Pakistanis on all main offices with Chief Minister himself as Chairman of this body.
Afterwards the bill was passed to set up the Commission with amendment to give representation in the same to one woman MPA and up to two women members in the total five overseas Pakistanis who will be named by the Chief Minister to perform for three years.
Treasury member Sheikh Allauddin presented an adjournment motion which called for stern legislation to prevent child abuse in the province as many serious incidents of this nature had taken place. He called for work on war footings to end this menace as well as summary trial of the accused of sexual abuse of the children. The chair pended the motion.
At a point during the proceedings Chair and the treasury MPA Ch Tahir Sindhu locked horns when the latter was not allowed to speak on his amended call attention notice. Some unpleasant remarks came from the members which were expunged from the assembly proceedings while later Sindhu apologised to the chair and the House over his behavior.
During question-hour on the Industrial, Commerce and Investment department, the minister concerned told on a question that Bahawlpur which is the main cotton producing division, will be provided every facility available to Sundas Industrial Estate so that people of that area could get maximum job opportunities.