Punjab PA echoes with slogans against CM

LAHORE: Opposition benches chanted ‘Go Shahbaz Go’ after Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmood-ur-Rashid asked Shahbaz Sharif to resign from the office of Punjab Chief Minister after Lahore High Court ruled relocation of three sugar mills, owned by the Sharif family, illegal.

During the Punjab Assembly session, the PTI leader raised a point of order and said the chief minister had no grounds to hold the office anymore because the court decision implied that there was a clear conflict of interest vis-à-vis Shahbaz Sharif and the office he was currently holding.

He said that the opposition had submitted a reference in this regard in the assembly which was not addressed by the Speaker on the plea that the matter was being sub judice. He said now that the decision has been announced, the Speaker being a neutral head of the assembly should take the matter up. Mehmood-ur-Rashid paid tribute to the judiciary and said the time has arrived when the ruling elite will be held accountable.

Responding to the point of order by the PTI leader, Provincial Minister for Human Rights Khalil Tahir Sindhu said the case has been decided in the court and the Sharif family will challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court; therefore, it would be premature to claim conflict of interest and demand the resignation of the CM.

Khalil Tahir Sindhu hit back at Mian Mehmood-ur-Rashid and said those who live in a house of glass shouldn’t throw stones at others as the election commission had issued a notice to the PTI leader only yesterday.

The opposition benches kept chanting slogans at the top of their voice and beat desks all throughout the reply by Khalil Tahir and made it virtually impossible to hear the reply. The hoopla by the opposition continued as the chief whip of the treasury bench Rana Arshad responded to the point of order.