Punjab PA continues discussion on budget

Treasury benches accuse opposition of blasphemy 

Two PML-N MPAs demand
‘blasphemy’ case against opposition
MPAs for tearing budget copies

LAHORE: During the post-budget speeches in the Punjab Assembly, PML-N members called for a blasphemy case under 295-C to be registered against opposition members for tearing and tossing budget books with the name of God and Holy Prophet (PBUH) written on them.

Acting Speaker Sardar Shair Ali Gorchani started proceedings of the session, which was as usual late by an hour and forty-five minutes. 

The Punjab Assembly continued discussion on the annual budget 2017-18 on the fourth consecutive day on Thursday. During the discussion, treasury benches attempted to protest against the opposition members after they tore the budget copies into pieces. PML-N MPA Allama Ghayasuddin in his speech said the opposition members, who tore the budget books and tossed them to the ground, should be booked under 295C. He said these individuals know that the name of Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the name of God are written on the budget books, therefore, this act cannot even be discounted under negligence or mistake. This act, he said, was committed with full knowledge of what was being done.

The speaker kept on warning the PML-N member that making such comments was inappropriate, however, he continued none the less. Ali Asghar Manda joined in on the act and said strict action should be taken against the opposition MPAs for tearing the budget copies because the names of Allah and Prophet (PBUH) were written on it. He said the opposition members should not be allowed to sit in the assembly for this reason.

PTI’s Ahmed Khan Bhuchar condemned this attitude of the treasury benches and engaged in more relevant discussion to the budget. He criticised the government for spending less on education than on a single transport project for a single city. He called the government’s focus foppish and election-year oriented instead of reformative. 

PTI MPA Arif Abbasi said all the schemes of PML (N) government including Yellow Cab scheme, Sasti Roti Scheme and Nandipur Power Project proved mere failures and eyewash.

Earlier, PTI member Nabila Hakim Ali presented a resolution to take action against smoke-emitting vehicles. The motion demanded strict action to be taken against these polluting vehicles as they were causing serious health issues to the civilians.

Minister Finance Ayesha Ghaus Pasha was scheduled to wrap up the budget discussion on Thursday, however, when the opposition member Nabila Hakim pointed out the quorum, it was found short and therefore the assembly session was prorogued for 9:00 am on Friday (today).