Uproar in Punjab PA over law minister’s remarks

LAHORE: Opposition on Monday protested strongly in Punjab Assembly against the remarks of Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan for his statement concerning court verdicts and military courts. 

The law minister, however, defending himself stated that his statement never pertained to any sub judice matter but to a fact that if an elected, popular leader was removed undemocratically or unconstitutionally, the nation wouldn’t accept it.

The PA session, which started with a delay of nearly two hours with Speaker Rana Mohammad Iqbal Khan in chair, witnessed an uproar at the outset when opposition leader Mian Mehmood-ul-Rasheed objected strongly to the remarks of Law Minister Rana Sanaullah regarding the removal of prime minister through courts.

Mian Mehmood-ul-Rasheed said that the entire PML-N leadership, including Rana Sanaullah Khan, had realised its possible defeat in the Panama Leaks case. He said that statement of Rana Sanaullah Khan against the institutions reflected frustration, adding a matter which was already pending in court couldn’t be debated.

Rana Sanaullah Khan, while responding to the allegations of the opposition leader said, that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s dream wouldn’t be fulfilled and its leadership should also bar a person like Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed to avoid passing irresponsible statements.

Citing the speech of Awami Muslim League  Chairman Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, the law minister said the PTI and its cronies were in fact trying to pressurise the judiciary, as they didn’t want a verdict but a coffin from it.

Sana warned that coffin would appear from everywhere if a popular leader was removed unconstitutionally. Explaining his statement, he said what he had said was related to the military courts, adding he could cite different examples in which people didn’t accept the verdicts in which elected leaders were removed unconstitutionally.

Sana also stated that PTI leadership should also explain its position about the forces of evil backing Imran Khan, as stated by Javed Hashmi recently. The opposition members on the occasion chanted slogans against the government and the House plunged into disorder. It also staged a walkout and chanted slogans against the government over the Panama scam. The law minister presented the Punjab Civil Administration Ordinance 2016 before the House and also introduced the Punjab Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2017.

It took up questions related to the local government and community development.  Moreover, newly-elected MPA from Jhang Masroor Nawaz Jhangvi took oath and demanded setting up of a medical college, university in the district. He also demanded Jhang to be made division as well as free industrial zone.