Law minister’s absence mars agenda of Private Members Day

LAHORE: Punjab Law Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman caused severe embarrassment for the entire Punjab Assembly as due to his absence, the chair had to adjourn the proceeding without the completion of Private Members Day’s agenda.
‘This is highly regretful, this attitude is unacceptable, if he has no plan to attend the proceedings, at least he should intimate the House, what kind of mockery is it’ remarked Deputy Speaker Sher Ali Gorchani while expressing his anger when he was told that Law Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman was not present in the House at the Private Members Day.
‘I was also member of this House in last term, I never saw such attitude from the ministers, I regret to say that agenda of the House couldn’t be completed due to the absence of Law Minister who, according to rules, has to respond to the resolutions on Private Members Day’ said Sher Gorchani, who has been serving as acting Speaker since Rana Iqbal Khan has assumed the office of acting Governor after the resignation of Chaudhry Sarwar.
Gorchani said it was highly regretful on the part of ministers that they didn’t show interest in the PA business and hailed Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, a senior cabinet member who was the only minister attending the proceedings at that time. This is noteworthy that a day ago, Opposition benches protested the absence of Law Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman during the pre-budget discussion and Shahab-ud-Din, a PPP MPA also staged a walkout in protest.
The acting Speaker on Monday instructed Punjab cabinet members to ensure presence during the pre-budget discussion in PA; however, they turned a deaf year to which ignited the chair who also adjourned proceedings on Tuesday. The members who were to move resolutions on Private Members Day, included Nighat Sheikh, Amir Sultan Cheema, Khadija Umer, Dr Wasim Akhter and Lubna Faisal. The resolutions were related to vaccination against diseases caused by contaminated water, provision of injections in the hospitals of entire province to cure Hepatitis C, increase in the number of NADRA staffers while keeping in view the country’s population, cut in the fares of Umra by PIA and ban on import of intoxicating substances, and tranquillisers.
Sheikh Allauddin, one of the senior legislators of Punjab Assembly, in an adjournment motion voiced concern over the way Punjab Institute of Cardiology was run by the quarters concerned. He demanded immediate measures to improve its situation. The resolution was made pending.The PA also took up the question hour session related with Excise and Taxation as well Mines and Minerals.