Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz Sharif said that circumstances for investors are not favourable in Pakistan. While addressing the session, Hamza said investment has dropped by 52% and devaluation of our currency is the lowest in the region. The stock market also dropped by 200% and Pakistan is under debt of 5000 billion rupees and out of which Rs 2000 billion was due to devaluation.
He said the government had withdrawn subsidy extended to the textile sector due to which unemployment will increase. He also said that farmers are not happy with the government. The government had taken back subsidy from agriculture sector. He said the government had cut the budget of education by 20 percent. He said that country is in economic crisis. He also said that government and opposition should work together to bring country out of the economic crisis.
Hamza said we should learn from our mistakes. He said accountability process should be transparent in the country otherwise nobody will accept it. He also said that in the past elected prime minister was hanged, one elected prime minister was sent into exile and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated. He further said that PML (N) leadership had faced accountability many times and nothing was proved against them. Without naming the high ranking military official, Hamza claimed that the retired army man had told him that accountability was started against their family on the directions of General (r) Pervez Musharraf. He said this time again nothing will prove against them.
Hamza Shahbaz thanked the Speaker Punjab Assembly for issuing his production order.
PPP Parliamentary Leader Syed Hassan Murtaza while talking to media outside the Assembly said that we condemn the arrest of former president Asif Ali Zardari and opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Sharif. He said NAB was not arresting Prime Minister Imran Khan's sister Aleema Khan.
PPP leader Makhdoom Usman Mahmood condemned the arrest Asif Ali Zardari while speaking on the floor of House.
While responding to the criticism of opposition leader, Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Local Government Raja Basharat said in 2008 when the PML (N) government came into power, Punjab had Rs 100 billion surplus in the kitty but when the PML (N) left the government in 2018 it was under debts of Rs 2600 billion.
Referring to Ishaq Dar, he said: "Why the country should not face bankruptcy where the sitting prime minister deliberately helped the then finance minister in escaping the country in his official plane despite facing corruption charges? A treason case can be registered against former prime minister for facilitating the accused to flee from the country."
Speaker Punjab Assembly Ch Pervez Elahi congratulated all members of the House on empowering the speaker to issue production order of the members. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan always appreciated the legislation and supported it.
Earlier, PTI MPA Saeed Akbar Niwani while speaking on the point order raised the issue of increase in the salaries of members. On this, the law minister said they will soon send the bill to governor for approval.
The Punjab Khal Panchayat Ordinance, 2019, and The Punjab Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill 2019 were laid in the House. While the Punjab Zakat and Usher (Amendment) Bill 2019 was introduced. Annual Report of The Punjab Judicial Academy for the year 2015-16 and Annual Report of the Public Service Commission for the Year 2017 was laid in the House.