LAHORE - The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday adopted three resolutions of public interest including launching public awareness about seasonal influenza, providing free transport facilities to disabled persons and elderly people and stringent action against aerial firing and fireworks in marriage functions.
Out of five resolutions on agenda on private members day, three were passed unanimously while the remaining two were disposed of due to absence of movers. The resolution moved by treasury legislator Hina Pervaiz Butt demanded vigorous awareness campaign about deadly seasonal influenza across the province.
Through a resolution, Jamat-e-Islami legislator Dr Waseem Akhtar demanded free travelling facilities for elderly people and disabled persons.
The resolution moved by PTI’s Sibtain Khan demanded stringent action as per law against fireworks and aerial firing during wedding functions and other ceremonies. The House unanimously passed all three resolutions.
Earlier, the session started one hour and 40 minutes beyond the scheduled time with Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal in the chair.
At the start of proceedings during Question Hour on Communication and Works and Population Welfare Departments, PTI’s Asif Mehmood drew the attention of the chair towards absence of administrative secretary from the officials’ gallery. The chair suspended proceedings for 15 minutes. However, the proceedings resumed after 40 minutes on the arrival of Secretary C&W.
Treasury legislator Mian Tariq Mehmood lashed out at the department for not completing a schemes. He said that allocated funds were not utilized on projects. He said that contractors left schemes incomplete even after taking entire amount. He said that people usually held MNAs and MPAs responsible for the scenario. He said that minister and not department should be asked for incomplete projects. Waheed Asghar Dogar, Asif Mehmood and Raheela Anwar from PTI and Amir Sultan Cheema from PML-Q protested at pathetic situation of roads in their respective districts, saying CM’s Rural Road Program was merely eyewash.
PML-N’s Nighat Nasir Sheikh said that population growth rate was increasing since the establishment of population welfare department. She said that response of department to her question was impropriate and too long.
Minister for Population Welfare Mukhtar Ahmad Bherath said birth control was personal decision of a family and the role of department was facilitation and counseling. The department has given written reply that Family Healthy Clinics were providing information and birth control material like condoms, pills and injections to visiting people.
JI’s Dr Waseem Akhtar staged a token walkout against alleged harassment of Seemal Kamran by Raja Basharat.
Minister for Human Rights Khalil Tahir Sandhu said that Seemal Kamran has protested outside the house of Ch Pervaiz Elahi last day. He said that the government has taken notice of the issue.
On a point of order, Nabila Hakim Ali drew the attention of the chair toward sit in of ad-hoc employees of Literacy and Informal Education Department outside the PA. She said that these employees were waiting for regularization in the service for the last 15 years. She urged the government to take notice of the issue and start procedure for regularising services of these protesting employees. On completion of agenda, the chair adjourned the session till Wednesday (today) at 10am.