LAHORE - Terming allegations of seeking NRO as baseless, the opposition legislators in the Punjab Assembly on Friday asserted that they were fighting for free and fair elections, rule of law and relief for the masses. The PML-N legislators stopped three out of five recently expelled MPAs from attending the PA proceedings that started two hours and 20 minutes behind the scheduled time with Speaker Ch Parvez Elahi in the chair.
Faiasl Khan Niazi from Khanewal, Mian Jalil Sharaqpuri from Sheikhupura and Maulana Ghias ud Din from Narowal were not allowed to enter the House by their own party colleagues as they had called on CM Punjab in violation of party discipline. Some lawmakers also chanted slogans “lota lota” which irked the MPAs. The PML-N MPAs attended the session while wearing black bands to protest against the arrest of party President and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif.
Taking part in general discussion on law and order, PML-N’s Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari said that all the segments of the society suffered badly during last two years of PTI government. He said that only one APC of the opposition parties has shaken this weak government and now they were claiming that the opposition was seeking an NRO. “Being the Secretary General of PML-N Punjab, I want to make it clear on the floor of this august House that we are not seeking any NRO,” he said.
“The APC only demanded free & fair elections, a truth commission, freedom of Press, relief for poor and empowered local government system. Now, show me where is the NRO in these demands,” Leghari said.
He further added that the Punjab Governor has himself admitted that the sedition cases and the treason certificates shouldn’t be issued against anyone.
PPP’s Parliamentary leader Syed Hassan Murtaza said that both the opposition leaders in National Assembly and Punjab Assembly were behind the bars while there was no local government system that was meant to solve the issues of the people at grass root level. “Arrest as much opposition leaders as you can but please give food to people and provide them employment also,” said PPP leader. He further added that mostly the governments face public criticism in its last year of tenure but it was only the PTI government about which the people were using abusive language in first two years. Every sector has been ruined, no progress anywhere, poverty has reached on its highest level, but the government has nothing except to corner the opposition parties, he said.
Law Minister Raja Basharat said that no case had been registered by the PTI government, adding, the cases against PML-N were registered when it was in power.
He said the government was making sincere efforts to put the country on its right track that had actually been derailed by the past regime’s flawed policies. Earlier, answers related to the Agriculture Department were given by Minister Hussain Jahania Gardezi during the question-hour. On completion of agenda, the session was adjourned till Monday afternoon.