Punjab Assembly: bill introduced to convert Gymkhana Club’s land into public park

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Member Choudhry Iftikhar Hussain Chachar on Wednesday introduced a private member bill in the Punjab Assembly, proposing the conversion of the Gymkhana Club’s land into a public park.

During the assembly session, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan expressed concern over the exorbitant increase in rents for shops established on government land. He questioned the sudden and significant increase in rent for existing tenants, stating, “We are unable to understand how previous contracts were simply thrown in the dustbin and their rents were increased all of a sudden. We thought it was a cabinet decision, but later it was found that no order came from the cabinet.”

Speaker Khan further highlighted the significant disparity in land leases, stating, “The Gymkhana has been given 1700 acres of land on a rent of fifty rupees. Ironically, they are not even paying these fifty rupees.” He expressed his disbelief at such a preferential treatment for the Gymkhana Club.

Opposition Leader Malik Ahmed Khan Bachhar, while speaking on the floor of the house accused the government of presenting a “dreamy” budget to the people of Punjab, which has not materialised. He claimed that the government’s focus has been on self-promotion through the installation of plaques, rather than genuine development.

Bachhar highlighted the dismal state of education in Punjab, stating that only 14% of the allocated education budget has been utilised. He expressed concern over the outsourcing of schools, which he believes is deterring children from attending classes. He cited alarming statistics: 41% of children aged 5-9 are out of school, and 79% have never attended school. He also raised concerns about the alleged misappropriation of funds intended for providing milk to children.

Bachhar accused the government of coming to power illegally through “Form 47” and of operating solely through “regime change.”

He criticised the government’s handling of the education sector, stating that a severe shortage of teachers exists with a need for 160,000 new teachers.

He questioned the government’s spending priorities, demanding transparency in budget allocation and expenditure. He raised concerns about the appointment of Vice-Chancellors in universities, alleging undue influence and interference.

He criticized the government’s focus on “air ambulances” while neglecting the critical need for improvements in the overall healthcare system.

The Punjab Assembly session began with a delay of 1 hour and 39 minutes; presided over by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan. Yesterday, the opposition in the Punjab Assembly protested and chanted slogans in front of the Speaker’s dais, demanding the release of the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. The session was scheduled to address questions related to the Livestock Department; however, there was no regular minister for this department, and even the department’s secretary was absent. Parliamentary secretaries were answering the questions. In response, the opposition’s chief whip Rana Shabbaz protested in the assembly during the question hour, stating that the Punjab government is not serious about running the assembly. Not a single provincial minister was present in the house.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025