LAHORE - The opposition legislators were not allowed to bring out of turn resolutions for discussing Mina tragedy and Nandipur power project at the Punjab Assembly on Thursday.
Opposition leader Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed desired the House to discuss Mina tragedy and ask the federal government to seek explanation from Saudi Arabia.
He said that over 100 Pakistani pilgrims lost their lives in Mina and every citizen was concerned. He said that the issue should be discussed at the PA floor. Law Minister Rana Sanaullah suggested some changes in the resolution.
The chair disallowed presenting even modified draft, saying it was a foreign policy issue.
PTI legislator Arif Abbasi desired accommodating a resolution out of turn to discuss Nandipur power project. He said that the public at large was concerned over reports of loss of tens of billions of rupees in corruption and inefficiency. The chair said that the resolution could not be accommodated as he has already allowed tabling privilege motions.
Earlier, the PA proceedings started an hour beyond the scheduled time with Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal in the chair.
Parliamentary Secretary for Food Ch Asad Ullah remained on the receiving end with legislators from both sides of the political divide become one voice against wrong answers from the department during Question Hour on Food.
Hapless parliamentary secretary insisted that increase in flour prices had already been withdrawn and 20kg bag was being sold at Rs775.
Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed said that the market price of flour was much higher than the figures given by the department. He said that the government was misleading the House.
Opposition legislator Arif Abbasi said that millers were increasing flour prices at own since Ramazan. He demanded action against the department for giving wrong information.
Senior Minister Raja Ashfaq Sarwar and Minister for Human Rights Khalil Tahir Sindhu tried to rescue their hapless colleague, suggesting the opposition that bringing privilege motion was the right option.
The treasury legislator Sheikh Allauddin said that the government should introduce mobile laboratories for testing quality of milk during raids on different shops or factories. He said that previously milk of three different companies was declared unfit in the initial test only to be declared fit after laboratory tests.
Ch Asad Ullah said the milk samples were sent to a registered laboratory in England for test. He said that action was taken against the companies on laboratory reports. He informed the House that food committees have been constituted at district level and task forces at divisional level to check food quality.
Later, session was prorogued.