LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly session on Wednesday saw the presentation of several amendment bills and one ordinance, including laying of Police Order (Amendment) Ordinance 2025.
Among the proposed legislations tabled were the Provincial Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill 2025, the Drugs Amendment Bill 2025, the Stamp Amendment Bill 2025, and the Provincial Employees’ Social Security Amendment Bill 2025. Parliamentary Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs Khalid Ranjha presented the bills in the assembly and referred them to relevant standing committees for review.
The Punjab Chief Minister’s announcement of an exemplary farmers’ package and wheat policy for cultivators drew praise from government members, who commended Maryam Nawaz for her efforts, while the opposition dismissed the farmer package as a hollow gimmick. The Provincial Agriculture Minister stated that the Kisan Card initiative specifically supports small-scale farmers.
The Punjab Assembly session commenced one hour and 47 minutes late under the chairmanship of Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan. During the session, the relevant parliamentary secretary responded to questions pertaining to the Department of Labor and Human Resources.
Provincial Minister of Agriculture Ashiq Kirmani, while addressing the assembly, stated that the Kisan Card supports small farmers, with small farmers purchasing seeds worth 52 billion rupees through this card. He mentioned that farmers can also buy diesel and agricultural medicines using this card. He emphasized that the same rules and regulations related to wheat applicable in other provinces should be implemented in Punjab, adding that under the existing regulations, the government does not set the price of wheat.
Government MPA Malik Wahid, speaking in the assembly, highlighted that the Chief Minister of Punjab has provided significant relief to farmers. He noted that the Food Department was under immense pressure and had become dysfunctional. Last year, the Food Department did not purchase wheat, even though the government had 220,000 metric tons of wheat in stock. Currently, the government holds 890,000 metric tons of wheat and has sold 1,372,000 metric tons. He announced that the Punjab government will no longer purchase wheat, explaining that 22 crore rupees were being paid daily as markup, but the Chief Minister allocated 719 billion rupees to rescue the province from debt. The department’s debt has now been reduced from 335 billion to 14 billion rupees. Additionally, 550,000 farmers have been approved for a 15 billion rupee fund. He further stated that the government plans to provide relief to farmers for wheat storage.
Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan inquired whether any legal amendments are being considered to allow flour mill owners to stock wheat. Ahmed Khan said that Maryam Nawaz pledged that no farmer will suffer a loss.
Opposition member Waqas Man, speaking in the assembly, said that the Punjab government did not purchase a single grain of wheat last year and failed to set a price. He argued that the free trade policy would not benefit farmers, as middlemen would reap the profits instead. He urged the government to establish a price, whether it be 3,500 or 2,200 rupees, emphasizing that if farmers are not provided adequate benefits, rural populations would migrate to urban areas in the coming years.
Ahsan Raza Khan, a government member, stated during his speech in the assembly that he does not agree with the government’s wheat policy as a representative. He highlighted that while 1.4 million farmers applied for the farmer card, only 600,000 received it, questioning what the remaining farmers were granted. He further asked what steps were taken for those farmers who did not receive Green Tractors. Criticizing the disparity, he remarked that the elite class enjoys a pizza worth 3,000 rupees, while farmers are forced to accept 2,200 rupees per maund of wheat, calling it unjust. He urged the government not to shift the burden of IMF loans onto farmers and pointed out that small farmers cannot even store wheat for an hour, yet the government expects them to manage storage for four months. He argued that the current storage formula would not succeed and demanded that the government lift transport restrictions at the national level, as it had done provincially. He questioned why Pakistani wheat cannot be exported and emphasized that farmers’ prosperity is linked to Punjab’s and Pakistan’s progress, urging the government to reconsider its policies. His criticism of the wheat policy drew desk-thumping applause from opposition benches in tribute.
During the assembly session, Member of the Assembly Falbous Christopher raised the issue of the death of three children in Hafizabad due to consuming poisoned sweets. He stated that a sanitary worker, Irfan, was given sweets by the municipality to feed stray dogs. When Irfan could not find any stray dogs, he took the box of sweets with him. Children in the area then ate the sweets, resulting in the deaths of three children, two in critical condition, and three in stable condition. The police have arrested sanitary worker Irfan, although he is not at fault. The Speaker of the Punjab Assembly directed Parliamentary Minister Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman to conduct an inquiry into the entire matter within one hour.
Falbous Christopher demanded a holiday for Good Friday and Easter during his speech in the Punjab Assembly.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman linked the matter to gazetted holidays, stating that any decision could only be made after reviewing the gazetted holidays.
Government member Amjad Ali Javed raised concerns in the assembly on Thursday, highlighting that Health Department officers have been protesting for the past eight days. He urged the government to engage in dialogue with the demonstrators to address their grievances. Responding to his appeal, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan advised Chief Whip Rana Arshad to explore options for communication beyond the 19-member cabinet, suggesting a broader outreach to resolve the standoff.
Separately, Javed also emphasized the need for Punjab and Sindh to collaboratively address lingering disputes over canal water distribution. His remarks drew a sharp response from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) member Nargis Faiz Awan, who defended her party’s leadership. “Why is our leadership being criticized?” she asked, referencing previous discussions about PPP’s role. “Sindh has not deprived Punjab of its rights. In fact, PPP has shouldered the burden of handling tragedies affecting Punjab,” she asserted, alluding to past crises.
Speaker Khan intervened to clarify that Javed’s comments specifically pertained to Punjab’s water management system and were not an attack on any political party. “I do not allow criticism of any party’s leadership in this house,” he stated, adding that Javed’s call for inter-provincial dialogue on canal issues was valid and warranted cooperation. The Speaker reiterated that constructive discussions between Punjab and Sindh were essential to resolve the matter amicably.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Comments