In Punjab Assembly session here on Thursday voting on Demands for Grants for the year 2007-08 for Health and Agriculture Sectors was approved by the House.
Total Demands for Grants approved in respect for Health Sector was Rs 8.53 billion while in case of Agriculture it remained at Rs 2.68 billion. The Cut Motions notices given by the opposition members were voted out in the session.
A total of 39 Demands for Grants out of total of 41 would be brought before the House in Friday session. The proposed budget 2007-08 is expected to be approved during the same day session.
Earlier during the day Punjab Assembly Speaker Afzal Sahi in his ruling said that any suicidal attack on Salman Rushdie author of 'Satanic Verses 'was justified.
In his second ruling on the day the Speaker asked female member of Treasury Benches MPA Zeenat Khan to withdraw from assembly for three days. The Treasury female legislator moved with aggression on opposition MPA Uzma Zahid Bokhari during the session. Opposition as well as the Treasury benches appreciated the ruling of the Speaker and said that this had set an equitable tradition in the House.
There was severe criticism on Benazir Bhutto head of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) for her statement regarding Salman Rushdie in the House during the day. Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on the occasion protesting against the statement led the walk out of Treasury Benches from the Assembly. Slogans of 'Rushdie ka jo yar hai guddar hai guddar hai', 'Rushdie ki tasveer Benazir Benazir 'were raised by treasury benches on the occasion.
Qasim Zia MPA Leader of Opposition speaking in the House said that suicidal killings were not allowed in Islam. He said Benazir's statement was meant to stop spread of hatred.
During the session there was a second boycott by PPPP legislators on account of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) female member's aggressive attitude.
Qasim Zia Leader of the Opposition speaking in the House condemning aggression on PPPP MPA said that few days earlier on the budget day a minister from Treasury Benches misbehaved with opposition members.
In cut motions on health Rana Sana Ullah MPA pointed that there were discrepancies in equitable distribution of health budget amongst the areas. He said these discrepancies need to be removed. He also asked the Treasury to explain its spending on new emergency centers in the proposed budget 2007-08. Chaudhry Iqbal Health Minister explained on occasion number of steps taken in respect of health sector uplift and reforms. He spoke of emergency services measures including ambulance service, construction of cardiac and other hospitals, measures to strengthen paramedic and nursing services in his address.
In cut motions on Agriculture sector Opposition MPA and Deputy Leader of the Opposition Rana Sanaullah criticised the government for its lesser spending on research as compared to amount set forth in budget 2006-07. He also raised a number of queries on the occasion and said that government had not set up a single factory of pesticides in the Country.
MPA Wasim Akhtar in his cut motion said that excessive use of pesticides was having very severe affect on the health of citizens. MPA Waqas said that there was a great potential to increase per yield acre of our farms and in many instances where good work had been done our agriculture had given record yield, he pointed.
Arshad Lodhi Agriculture Minister speaking on cut motion on agriculture said that in year 2006-07, 180 million tonne wheat production as compared to 151 million tonne in 2002-03 had been produced. He showed optimism that this figure would rise to 200 million tonne. Talking about share of Punjab in wheat production, the minister said out of total requirement of 215 million tonne, 180 million tonne was being produced here. He said 82 percent of cotton in the country was being produced by Punjab while its production remained at 130 million bales in respect of cotton in the recent fiscal year.
Referring further about promising scenario of agriculture in the Province, which he attributed to the efforts of provincial government as well as guidance of President Pervez Musharraf, the Agriculture minister said 95 percent of country's rice were being produced in Punjab. He said due to efforts by Punjab government, in rice production, Rs 70 billion export earnings had occurred. The House was adjourned for 9 am later by the Chair.
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