LAHORE - Punjab Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution seeking strict implementation of laws against blasphemy.

The resolution moved by Punjab Minister for Mines and Mineral Development Ammar Yasir also called for putting in place  a central system of screening and filtration on the pattern of Saudi government to check the spread of sacrilegious content on the social media.

In this connection, the resolution stressed the need for an effective legislation to ensure that no religious content of domestic or foreign origin is allowed to be published or uploaded on the media (Social media and others)  without prior permission from the ministry of religious affairs.

It further stated that all such books containing blasphemous material should be confiscated immediately besides imposing ban on their import.

The mover in his resolution noted with great concern that laws were in place in Pakistan to punish the blasphemers but they lacked enforcement mechanism. The resolution also demanded strict implementation of Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 and sections 295 and 298 of the PPc. “And, if the need be, these laws may be amended accordingly to punish the culprits”, said the resolution.

The House took up this resolution out of turn given the sensitivity of the matter.

Also, the Assembly did not adopt any of the resolutions placed on the day’s agenda. Out of total seven, four resolutions were taken up for discussion. The chair kept three of them pending due to absence of the concerned ministers while one was rejected due to opposition from the law minister.

Also, the Treasury and the Opposition exchanged barbs on trivial issues on the last day of the 17th session.  The trouble started when PTI’s Nadeem Qureshi lavished praise on Chief Minister Usman Buzdar for record legislation done by the present Assembly. He took the floor following a point of order by PPP’s Hasan Murtaza who had agitated the issue of closure of some Sugar Mills in different Punjab districts. His speech met with a severe reaction from the Opposition members who started raising slogans of “Choar Chaor” (Thief). In the meanwhile, Law Minister Mohammad Basharat Raja rose from his seat to respond to the point order by the PPP legislator.  Law Minister challenged the veracity of what Hasan Murtaza had told the House. 

 Malik Arshad Advocate of the PML-N intervened and uttered some harsh words about the PTI leadership. This was like a red rage to the bull. Raja Basharat lost his temper as he dubbed the leadership of the PML-N and the PPP as thieves who had plundered the national wealth.

Following this, the House was in complete disorder. Nothing was audible among sloganeering and noise.  Panel of Chairman Mian Shafi Mohammad adjourned the House sine die seeing no end to the bedlam.