Punjab Assembly Speaker Muhammad Iqbal on Friday formed a committee to look into the matter of attendance of the legislators in the house. Law Minister Sanaullah stated that attendance in the House was being recorded on the pattern of National Assembly. He said it was unfortunate that attendance procedure was not correctly adhered to in certain cases.
Finance Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira said that the practice of signing in the register should be altered and the register should be kept outside the house. He said a strict check must be kept on signing of the attendance register, wherever it is kept. PPP member Nazim Shah said that a Grade 22 officer does not sign in an attendance register and here the privilege of a legislator should net be made less than of him. He lamented signing of attendance register in the house.
Harsh words were exchanged between Sanaullah Masti Khel and Allaudin. Their words were expunged from the proceedings by the chair. Masti Khel was ordered by Speaker to go out of the house for an hour, which the MPA did not obey, and kept on setting in the house.
The legislators strongly lamented the inflation in the country. They asked for immediate steps to be under taken to give relief to hard hit masses. International scenario, less productivity, electricity higher cost, load shedding, and gas unavailability were the reasons cited by legislators for the higher rise in prices of commodities. A number of members participated in the discussion.
In the question hour, Law Minister Sanaullah said that department of public prosecution was established in November 2005. He said it was not correct that employment in the department was done on contractual basis. He said that total number of employees in this department in Lahore was 237.
To another query he pointed out that in the office of Advocate General, one Advocate General, 13 Deputy Advocates-General, 23 Assistant Advocates-General were working presently. He said a person having credentials of becoming a judge of the higher court is eligible to be appointed as Advocate-General. Welfare Minister on a query stated that in Population Welfare Department, in 2003-08, the number of mobile service units had been increased from 71 to 117. The House was later adjourned to meet again at 3 pm on Monday.