Punjab Assembly adopts Punjab Border Military Police (Amendment) Bill amid uproar

The Opposition in the Punjab Assembly on Monday created uproar and boycotted the assembly proceedings to protest arrests of political activists from different parts of the province to foil their plan of according rousing reception to Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry during his forthcoming visit to Faisalabad on June 16.
When the proceedings of 30th session of Punjab Assembly commenced at 4.20 pm against the scheduled timings of 3.00 pm, the journalists from the Press Gallery Committee staged a token boycott of the Assembly proceedings to press the implementation of 7th Wage Board Award. Speaker Afzal Sahi asked Punjab Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja to bring the journalists back to the House. Later, the journalists returned to the House.
He announced a panel of chairmen for the session comprising Malik Nazar Farid Khokhar, Chaudhry Javed Iqbal, Malik Jala Din Dhakoo and Sami Ullah Khan for the current session.
Opposition legislator Arshad Mahmood Bhaggu on a point of order drew the attention of the House towards incidents of May 12 which caused death of 42 innocent people in Karachi. He criticised the MQM for its wrong actions. The House offered fateha for the eternal peace of martyrs of May 12 on the occasion. Afterward, Ghulam Muhammad Lali of PML-Q who was elected from Jhang took oath as MPA.
Taking to the floor, Opposition leader Qasim Zia strongly criticised the government for arresting the activists of political parties ahead of visit of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry during his forthcoming visit to Faisalabad. He regretted that on one side, the government raised tall claims of promoting the culture of tolerance in politics while on the other, it is arresting political activists without any justification and detaining them at different jails.
He said the government despite announcement has not so far withdrawn the Pemra Ordinance. He regretted that journalists are being intimidated through threats.
He claimed that the government has planned to foil the forthcoming visit of Chief Justice to Faisalabad, adding that large-scale arrest of political activists shows that the rulers are not practising any tolerance in Punjab. He also said that whole nation is behind CJP Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
On the occasion, the Opposition legislators raised slogans in the House for release of political activists. The whole opposition benches stood and demanded the release of their workers and asked for assurances from the law minister in this connection. However, the law minister remained silent, which led to the boycott by the Opposition.
Earlier, taking the floor, another Opposition legislator Rana Sanaullah Khan praised journalists for waging a war for independence of judiciary. "The struggle of journalists forced the government to announce withdrawal of Pemra Ordinance. If the government try to show its strength on June 16, the whole responsibility would lie on the shoulders of the government," he added.
Another Opposition legislator Raja Riaz alleged on the occasion that Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has recently visited Faisalabad and asked the administration to foil Opposition's rally planned for June 16 there.
The Speaker on the occasion gave ruling that in the Advisory Committee meeting of the House, it was unanimously decided that only parliamentary leaders would address. Taking the floor, Law Minister Muhammad Basharart Raja said the government has always shown patience, while the Opposition tried to disturb the peaceful situation. He made it clear that nobody would be allowed to create law and order situation. In Faisalabad, he said detention orders of only three people were issued and the provincial government is going to withdraw the same.
Regarding detention of political activists made under 16 MPO, he invited the Opposition to hold talks with him for the release of all those who were arrested. He said that the government is ready to withdraw detention of those who are over 70 years. "Credit goes to General Pervez Musharraf that for the first time in the country's history, the assemblies are going to complete their tenure," he added.
After his statement, the House put off its proceedings for Maghrib prayers. When the House again meet after Maghrib prayers, Opposition legislator Sagheera Islam pointed out quorum.
Due to lack of quorum, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings for 10-minute. Afterward, the House resumed its proceedings with the question-answer session in respect of the education department. Most of the questions were disposed of by the Speaker due to absence of mover belonging to the Opposition parties.
In his supplementary question, Treasury MPA, Chaudhry Javed Ahmad drew the attention of the House towards appointment of SS teachers as headmasters. He also urged the government to frame laws for regulating the affairs of private educational institutions.
Punjab Education Minister Mian Imran Masood said on the occasion that a Special Committee of the House is working on preparing necessary recommendations for regulating the affairs of education department. He said the education department lacks data in respect of private educational institutions and affairs of the private schools would be streamlined with the adoption of recommendations of the House Committee, which is already working in this regard.
Another Treasury member Sheikh Allauddin through an adjournment motion drew the attention of the House towards violation of environmental laws by industrial units and sugar mills.
Replying to the motion, Punjab Environment Minister Anjum Amjad said the Environmental Tribunal is already working and is taking action against sugar mills and other industrial units who are throwing wastes in river.
She said the Tribunal has already fined a sugar mill while her department is taking action against industrial units that have not set up their effluent plants. Later, the Punjab Assembly adopted the Punjab Border Military Police (Amendment) Bill 2006, which was recommended by the standing committee on home affairs.
Afterward, Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja laid the Punjab Prohibition of Kite Flying (Amendment) Ordinance, 2007, the Punjab Judicial Academy Ordinance, 2007, the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Ordinance, 2007 before the House and Speaker referred the same before the select committees of the House for submission of reports. The Speaker adjourned the House to meet again on June 12 at 10.00 am.