Opposition in Punjab Assembly has demanded open debate on Raymond Davis release while stressing the point that the Punjab Government has played due role in letting Raymond walk free. Besides Raymond Davis, strike by the PCS officers dominated the proceedings during its 23rd ongoing session. PML-Q gave a tough time to treasury benches and kept criticising PML-N led Punjab government for its mishandling of both issues.
The house proceedings on Monday started at 3:56 some 56 minutes late from its schedule time under the chair of Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal. Soon after the recitation from Holy Quran and Naat the speaker announced to take question hour what practically could not done owing to point of orders.
Raymond Davis release The issue of Raymond Davis surfaced during the proceedings when Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan sent some members to bring back MMA backed MPA Ali Haider Noor Khan Niazi who in protest against the release of Raymond Davis announced to boycott the proceedings.
PML-Q's parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Zaheer on a point of order said there was question mark over presence of all the heirs in the court and lawyer's absence on the day Raymond Davis was released. Amna Ulfat and Seemal Kamran said that the treasury themselves sent Raymond Davis back to the United States and were now protesting against the same act.
Samina Khawar Hayat on this added fuel to the fire demanding the chair to hold open discussion on the issue to unearth those behind the release adding the discussion was imperative as the masses were of the view PML-N was behind his (Davis) flee from Pakistan. PML-Q members also chanted strong slogans whenever a PML-N legislator tried to clarify his party's position over the issue.
PML-Q backed MPAs including Seemal Kamran, Amna Ulfat, Samina Khawar Hayat and Amir Sultan Cheema remained most vocal critics to the PML-N led government for its alleged role in release of Raymond while PPP's backed MPA Sajida Mir castigated the incumbent Punjab government for allegedly victimising the PCS officers.
PCS officers' strike The opposition also blamed for taking action including registration of FIRs against the PCS officers at the same time. The PPP MPAs however, remained silent over the issue related to release of US citizen who was involved in killing of two Pakistani youths.
PPP's MPA Sajida Mir said the Punjab government was allegedly favouring the DMG officers and was victimising and disgracing the PCS officers. Interestingly, instead of terming DMG officers she kept on saying "DGM" officers. She said the DGM group had taken hostage of the province adding Punjab province is not personal property of the DGM group. She said PCS officers were also well educated but the government was disgracing these people. She pointed out that one officer named Ahad Cheema a BS-18 officer of the DGM group was posted as DCO Lahore against a BS-20 post.
PPP's MPA Faiza Malik said action against the PCS officers was condemnable adding during the last three years no strategy was evolved to address their issues. PML-N backed MPA Rana Muhammad Afzal defending the government over the issue said during the last three years Punjab government took record initiatives in favour of the PCS officers.
The house echoed with the slogans of shame shame when Rana Afzal said both of them DMG and PCS officers were assets of the province. On this the chair asked the law minister Rana Sanaullah to brief the house about progress of committee which was formed to address issues of the PCS officers.
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