The opposition parties in the Punjab Assembly including PTI, PPP, PML-Q and Jamaat-i-Islami staged a walkout from the assembly in protest against discriminate and inadequate supply of gunny bags, slow procurement of wheat and unfriendly attitude of provincial government towards the farming community. Speaking on a point of order, opposition leader Mian Mahmudur Rasheed said that the farmers had already suffered huge financial losses in the sale of paddy and sugarcane commodities. Now the Punjab government is neither supplying gunny bags nor purchasing wheat at the fixed prices.
Earlier, the Assembly resumed its proceedings after two days break. The opposition attended the house wearing black arm bands to mourn the burning to death of six children in a house fire on Sunday in the Shadbagh area of the provincial capital. Opposition leader Mian Mahmudur Rashid blamed the government for apathy and inefficiency as the fire-brigade unit was not in working condition and the Rescue 1122 team also came late. The house offered Fateh for the departed souls.
During the question hour, the Assembly was informed that the government had prepared plans for construction of 15 small dams since 2008. Out of these, seven dams have been completed while six dams are under construction. Work has been stopped on two small dams due to court cases. These dams have capacity to store 43,381 MAF water and irrigate 30,325 acres of land. As the quorum was not complete, the chair adjourned the proceedings till tomorrow.