LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly session on Wednesday saw members from both opposition and treasury benches raising their voices to demand a solution to the issues faced by the province’s farmers. Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan emphasized the need for relevant ministers to meet with the Chief Minister and develop a clear policy to address the problem.
During the session, Opposition member Rana Shahbaz highlighted the government’s failure to protect farmers’ interests, sparking criticism from opposition members. Government members failed to defend the government’s policy, leading to further criticism.
The session began 1 hour 45 minutes late, with Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bachhar criticizing the government for exploiting farmers. Bachhar pointed out that middlemen are exploiting farmers, and the Minister of Agriculture’s statement was deemed disappointing. He emphasized that the policy should be changed to show mercy to farmers.
Opposition member Rana Shahbaz raised the issue of the low price of wheat, stating that it is being bought at a meager rate of Rs2800 per 40kg. Provincial Minister for Agriculture Ashiq Khan Kirmani blamed the caretaker government for unnecessarily importing wheat. PML-N MPA Iftikhar Chhachhar acknowledged that staff has not been appointed for wheat procurement and suggested that the government form a committee.
In a rare show of unity, both government and opposition members criticized the government’s policy on wheat. They demanded an investigation into the caretaker government’s import of wheat. Provincial Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman presented audit reports of various authorities, and members participated in pre-budget discussions, proposing solutions for the next financial year’s budget.
The House passed a resolution amending the Local Government Law, reducing the population of Union Councils in hilly areas from 25,000 to 6,000. Rana Manawar Ghous suggested that the session of the Punjab Assembly should start with the national anthem, like the National Assembly. The session was adjourned until Thursday at 11:00 am.
Earlier, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan spoke to the media at the Punjab Assembly premises, stating that the rigging allegations levelled against the government in the by-elections are utterly absurd. He claimed that the opposition is insulting the mandate of the people and that the Pakistan Muslim League-N has won convincingly in the constituencies of Kasur and Kahna.
The Speaker emphasized that the public has expressed full confidence in the leadership of Mian Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister ship of Shehbaz Sharif, and the Chief Minister ship of Maryam Nawaz. He further stated that people are fed up with the politics of agitation and constant turmoil, and that the government will address the issues of the 12 crore people of the province.
In response to a question, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan said that if we want to reap the fruits of democracy, it will be through the Punjab Assembly. He emphasized that criticism should be for reform, not for conflict, and that the opposition never discussed public issues during the session.
In conclusion, the Speaker stated that the Punjab Assembly will operate according to the Rules of Procedure, and that all members of the assembly are equal in his eyes. He emphasized that humiliating anyone is not his objective, and that if any member behaves immorally, it is his constitutional duty to take notice.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024