Punjab Assembly adopts two bills

Sat, November 05, 2016

LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly adopted on Monday two bills amid opposition’s boycott.

The Punjab Restriction on Employment of Children Bill of 2016 and the Provincial Motor Vehicles (amendment) Bill of 2016 were passed after incorporation of the amendments proposed by the treasury.

The opposition’s amendments submitted by opposition leader Mahmoodur Rashid and PML-Q parliamentary leader Moonis Elahi could not be considered in their absence from the House. The Punjab Halal Development Agency Bill of 2016 was tabled in the House.

Earlier, on a point of order, Mr Rashid said PML-N’s Zaeem Qadri had talked about improving jail manual. “If he is referring towards the arrest of PTI workers ahead of Nov 2 Islamabad shutdown, let me tell him that if the rulers do so they will be responsible for violent movement,” he said and added after Nov 2 they (rulers) would be in jail. On Mr Qadri’s suggestion, the speaker referred the matter of revisiting the jail manual to the standing committee on Home.

The opposition and treasury resorted to ‘Go, Nawaz, go’ and ‘Go, Imran, go’ slogans, before the opposition staged a walkout. One of the opposition members pointed out quorum before leaving the House. However the required number of legislators were present.

Speaker Rana Iqbal did not bother to send someone from the treasury to bring the opposition back to the House. The speaker prorogued the session for indefinite period.

Talking to reporters outside the assembly, Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said PTI Chairman Imran Khan should respect the Supreme Court’s decision to take up the Panama case.

He said there had been no justification of protest over the Panama leaks after the apex court’s decision.

He said the government would try to persuade Mr Khan to shun politics of agitation. He said if the PTI resorted to violence the law would take its due course.

Mr Qadri said the PTI had been divided into four factions and the Nov 2 protest would turn out to be a last nail in its coffin.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2016

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