PA echoes with slogans against CM

LAHORE :Opposition benches chanted ‘Go Shahbaz Go’ after Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader 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 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 is a clear conflict of interest vis-à-vis Shahbaz Sharif and the office he is currently holding.

He said that the opposition had submitted 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 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 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 benched Rana Arshad responded to the point of order.

Our correspondent adds: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Dr Murad Raas on Tuesday submitted an adjournment motion in Punjab Assembly over the absence of proper fire safety measures in thousands of buildings across the provincial capital.

Through the adjournment motion submitted in the PA Secretariat, the PTI legislator while citing a media report regarding the unsatisfactory fire safety standards as thousands of buildings lacked safety fire fighting which could lead to any untoward incident.

The PTI legislator submitted that fire safety fighting standards were not followed while constructing these buildings which had posed serious life risk to the dwellers.