PA passes resolutionagainst HC staff harassment

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly on Friday passed unanimous resolution while condemning the harassment of Pakistani diplomatic staff in India and demanded Islamabad to take up the matter at international level.

The resolution, which was moved by Opposition Leader, Mian Mehmood ul Rasheed, after suspension of rules condemned the harassing of Pakistani diplomatic staff and their families in India which was a clear violation of human rights.It also stated that India had violated international diplomatic norms and it is forcing Pakistan to review its diplomatic ties with India. The resolution slammed India's bias and intolerance towards Pakistan besides demanding the federal government to take up the issue with international organisations to bar India from perpetrating such acts. The resolution was passed unanimously.

The Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmood ul Rasheed on a point of order demanded inclusion of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family’s names in the Exit Control List (ECL).The Opposition leader, while citing a letter written by NAB to Interior Minister Ahsen Iqbal said that as per the letter, the federal minister had been directed to put the name of Nawaz Sharif and his family in the ECL. However, he said the interior minister wasn’t following the instructions. The Speaker disallowed the Opposition leader to speak on the issue and later adjourned the session.

During the question hour session, PTI MPA Dr Nosheen Hamid staged a walk-out in protest against the attitude of a Parliamentary Secretary Hassan Riaz. The situation got tense in the PA when during the question hour session, Dr Nosheen Hamid demanded the government that doctors should be bound to complete their duty in state-run hospitals first rather than working in private clinics.Hassan Riaz, the Parliamentary Secretary for Specialised Health Care, while responding to this termed the questioner the product of the VIP culture who had no knowledge about the grievances of the common man and were only here to waste the time of the House.

These remarks caused uproar in the House and the Speaker on the occasion reprimanded the Parliamentary Secretary for using such remarks while asking him to only remain relevant to the question and answer the queries of the legislators.

The Opposition MPAs on the occasion staged a walkout from the House on which the Speaker sent Provincial Minister Sheikh Allauddin to negotiate with the annoyed member. Provincial Minister Sheikh Allauddin on a point of order told the House that residential and commercial property owners were paying heavy taxes. He said no one could challenge the unjust taxation in courts. He stated this issue needed serious attention on which Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghous Pasha stated that this matter would be addressed soon.