The Punjab Assembly in its 28th session, which started here on Thursday with Speaker Afzal Sahi in the chair, unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the cold-blooded murder of provincial minister for Social Welfare Zill-e-Huma Usman.
Speaking on the resolution, provincial Law Minister, Mohammad Basharat Raja assured the House that the culprit involved in the assassination of Zill-e-Huma would be awarded severe punishment under the law. Among others, Qasim Zia, Chaudhry Mohammad Iqbal, Uzma Bokhari, Chaudhry Zaheer-ud-din, Dr Saima Amjad, Zahida Sarfraz, Farzana Raja, Shazia Chand, Rubina Sulehri, Saeed Akbar Nawani and Asghar Ali Gujjar addressed on the occasion and paid glowing tributes to Zille-e-Huma for her services.
Some of the assembly members also demanded public hanging of the killer of Zill-e-Huma. The House also offered fateha for the eternal peace of departed soul of late Adnan Shahid, editor daily The Post and husband of MPA Humera Awais Shahid, former MPA Chaudhry Azam Cheema besides the victims of Samjhota Express tragedy.
Later, the speaker adjourned the house to meet again on Friday, March 2.
Moreover, Chief Minister of Punjab, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, while addressing the parliamentary party meeting of Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and its allies at Chief Minister's Secretariat, said that five new laws of public interest are being presented for approval in the current session of the provincial assembly. He said that Assembly members should actively participate in the process of legislation and solution of people's problems. The CM said that PML and its allied parties should be ready to face any political challenge including general elections with unity. He said that assemblies are completing their constitutional tenure first time in the country's history. He hoped that Pakistan Muslim League would achieve a thumping victory in the forthcoming elections due to its outstanding performance.
He was of the view that there is chaos in the ranks of opposition parties and they have no agenda for the solution of people's problems. He said that the campaign against the vehicles having tinted screens, blue lights and illegal number plates has been accelerated to further improve security arrangements. As well as keeping a watchful eye on criminal elements and it is the responsibility of Assembly members to play their due role for the success of this drive.
Strongly condemning the incidents of terrorism, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that terrorists have no religion and they are enemies of the entire humanity. He said that all Ulema not only condemn suicide attacks but also declare it a conspiracy against Islam; therefore, people should fully support the government against these anti-state elements.
He said that instead of causing loss to the people, terrorists lost their own lives due to bomb blasts in Chichawatni. He said that the government is taking all out steps to control prices of 'Atta' and other edibles and is giving a subsidy of five billion rupees in order to provide Sasta Atta to the masses.
Meanwhile, while distributing Rs 1.7 million cheques of compensation to the families of eight persons died during Basant celebrations, the CM said that the ban on kite flying was relaxed for two days on Basant but after deaths a permanent ban has been imposed on it in Lahore. He further said that in future all persons of a house would be arrested for violation of kite-flying ban. He said that Basant has been banned permanently and the breach of the ban will not be allowed at any cost.