PA passes seven resolutions

LAHORE

Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed impressive seven resolutions on matters of public interest, including the Orange Line Metro Train project, American drone strikes on Pakistan’s territory, and the executions of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh leaders and workers.

Introduced by PML-N MPA Sheikh Allauddin, a resolution unanimously adopted by the House on Tuesday urged the federal government to grant Nishan-e-Pakistan to the executed leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Motiur Rahman Nizami, Abdul Qadir Mollah, Qamar-uz-Zaman, Salahuddin Qadir Chaudhry, and Ali Ahsan Mujahid for their love for Pakistan. The JI leaders had been sentenced to death by Bangladeshi courts for their part in the 1971 war.

After yesterday’s resolution condemning the US drone strike in Balochistan that led to the death of Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akthar Muhammad Mansoor, the Leader of the Opposition and PTI MPA Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed presented another resolution demanding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif engage with all political leaders and stakeholders to develop a strong and effective stance on the country’s threatened sovereignty. The resolution was unanimously passed by the Assembly after the words stating that the Prime Minister shorten his visit to the United Kingdom were taken out on the Law Minister Rana Sanuallah’s insistence. Informing the House on Tuesday, Sanaullah said the PM had embarked on a private visit due to a medical treatment in the UK and would arrive back in the country in a day and immediately hold meetings on this pressing national concern. Mehmood-ur-Rasheed; however, was displeased with the attitude of the government and said a strong reaction should have come immediately after the incident on Saturday by the political and military establishment. 

Introduced in an interesting move towards the end of the PA session on Tuesday, the Assembly also passed a resolution moved by Sanaullah praising the Orange Line Metro Train project for providing five lakh passengers daily easy commute to the city and the Chinese government for their generous financial help. Speaking on the resolution, Sanaullah said propaganda was being spread by the Opposition to make it seem as if development funds were being redirected for their project, whereas the Chinese government was giving large sums of money and the rest was up for tendering by private construction companies. The purpose of this resolution was primarily to send goodwill to the Chinese government for their help, said Sanaullah. The resolution was initially opposed by PPP MPA Faiza Ahmed Malik for not taking the Opposition in consultation on such a mega project and ignoring needs for basic facilities, including clean drinking water in the province. 

The Opposition bench however was overwhelmed by speeches singing praise of the project on the treasury bench including spokesperson for the Punjab government Zaeem Qadri. Sanaullah added that the government would provide all documentation on the project to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Transparency International to dismiss all claims and fears of corruption.  Meanwhile, the House also passed resolutions moved by PTI MPA Ahmed Khan Bachar, PML-N MPA Gulnaz Shehzadi, PML-Q MPAs Chaudhry Amir Sultan Cheema, and Khadija Umar on the need for a special student university in the province, the start of all schools on the government given academic calendar, crackdown on illegal ‘lucky’ committees, and hike in the prices of essential food items ahead of Ramazan respectively. 

The Assembly will reconvene (today) Wednesday.