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Under constitution, the opposition has the right to protest but they would not be permitted to break the law of the land and force traders to take part in the shutter-down strike on April 2. Punjab Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja expressed these views in reply to a point of order raised by Arshad Mehmood Baggu of MMA during the Punjab Assembly proceedings here on Thursday.
Arshad, in his point of order condemned the arrest of MMA workers in Faisalabad during a recent procession, and said the Punjab government has deliberately used unethical and undemocratic means to fizzle out the MMA strike call.
In response, the Law Minister stated the traders were against the strike and in support of Punjab government's development programme. He assured the House the traders would be provided protection on April 2 for not observing the strike. He also pointed out since section 144 was in vogue no procession could be held throughout the province, hence the MMA Faisalabad procession was in violation of section 144, which compelled the law enforcing agencies to take appropriate action under the law.
Later, Deputy Opposition Leader Rana Sanaullah Khan also jumped in the debate and redirected it towards the President of Pakistan. He made a series of questions with implicit meanings. What was the legal and constitutional work of the government? Was passing a resolution in favour of a uniform president constitutional? Importantly, is it constitutional for a dictator to hold the highest office of the country?
On the issue of MMA strike call, Rana pointed out the MMA was holding a peaceful strike to display its resentment against the rulers. However, if the MMA workers were found guilty of forcing the traders to observe the strike or damaging public property, only then the government would have the justification to take action, he added.
The session only lasted for a few hours, as it had to prematurely adjourn on account of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz' s visit to the provincial metropolis.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005

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