The Punjab government has withdrawn detention orders of as many as 47 political activists while the aged arrested workers of political parties would also be released as soon as the Opposition provides their names.
Provincial Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Muhammad Basharat Raja, stated this, while responding to fiery remarks of the opposition legislators during the Punjab Assembly proceedings, here on Wednesday.
The Opposition legislators alleged that crackdown against the political workers was still continuing because raids were being conducted across the province for making arrests of political activists. Earlier, the Punjab Assembly proceedings for the budget session for the fiscal year 2007-08 started at 10:20 am just about 20 minute late from its schedule time.
When the proceedings started, only two members were present in the House with Speaker Muhammad Afzal Sahi in the chair. Just after the recitation of holy verses, Opposition member Arshad Mahmood Baggu of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) on a point of order informed the House that he along with his colleagues Rana Aftab Ahmad, Ehsanullah Waqas and Rana Sanaullah met with the Law Minister Basharat Raja, who provided list of 47 arrested people against whom detention orders were withdrawn.
Baggu said on the occasion that he was thankful to the Speaker Punjab Assembly Muhammad Afzal Sahi who formed a committee with directions to the government to take steps for ensuring release of the elderly people. Although, withdrawal of detention orders is a good sign, but the list provided to them is not correct, the Opposition legislator said.
He claimed that a senior official of a sensitive agency has provided the list to Law Minister in which those activists were also mentioned who were not even arrested. On which the Law Minister on a Point of Order made it clear that in the list there were names of those who were detained.
However, Arshad Baggu told the House that crackdown was still on, and from his own constituency besides the arrests of Mufti Arif Hussain and Rana Ghulam Fareed several others of opposition parties had been held. He said crackdown was continuing till Wednesday morning. He also pointed out that political workers arrested from Narowal were sent to Sahiwal Jail. On one hand, the government was making arrests of political workers without any justification while on the other hand; it is adding miseries to the families of such workers while shifting them to jails in the far-flung areas. He asked the government to stop the crackdown forthwith.
Another opposition legislator, Rana Aftab Ahmad on a Point of Order said crackdown against the political workers should be stopped immediately. He requested the Speaker to issue directions to avoid arrests being made at Faisalabad to stop the workers from taking part in the welcome reception of the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
Sheikh Ijaz of Pakistan Muslim League-N said on a Point of Order that Faisalabad was his home constituency and on Tuesday night the police had arrested the daughter of Aziz Pehlwan and kept her at the police station whole night. He said that the marriage of the girl was due in the next week.
Responding, Law Minister asked the Opposition legislator to give the name of police officer who arrested the girl. He assured that action will be taken against the cops found involved in this incident. Leader of the Opposition Qasim Zia on a Point of Order asked the Law Minister to ensure that crackdown and raids at the residences of political workers are stopped. The Law Minister said that he could not make commitment in this regard as those who violate the law will be dealt with, without any discrimination.
After the Question-Hour session the House took up the privilege and adjournment motions moved by the both treasury and opposition members but owing to the absence of the concerned ministers all were kept pending. The Punjab Minister for Co-operatives, Colonel Malik Mohammad Anwar (retd) laid the Punjab Katchi Abadis (amendment) Bill 2007 and Speaker referred the same to Select Committee of the House for submission of report by July 31. Later, Speaker adjourned the proceedings till the next meeting scheduled on Thursday.