Probe into Sami’s killing to be completed soon: Punjab minister

LAHORE: Law Minister Raja Basharat Thursday assured Punjab Assembly that probe into the assassination of JUI-S head Maulana Samiul Haq would be completed soon.

Speaking on the floor of PA during the debate on law and order and after the passage of resolution condemning the murder of Maulana Samiul Haq, the law minister said the government wanted the arrest of the assasins at the earliest and hoped a breakthrough into the investigation process.

He stated that the government was taking all measures to ensure peace in the province and no other government had matched the efforts made by the PTI for maintaining law and order. He said that in Lahore, 14 people were gunned down in Model Town but nothing happened.

He said that more than 100 people had so far been arrested for creating law and order in the recent episode whereas 25 more had been booked. He stated that the government couldn’t endorse any act meant to violate the law and order. He added if any innocent person had been arrested his release would be ensured after verification.

Debate on law and order in Punjab Assembly ended inconclusively on Thursday as members from both sides of the House remained busy in traditional blame game after which session was prorogued.

The Punjab Assembly session which was summoned on the requisition of Opposition was prorogued the same day by Deputy Speaker PA Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari. Both Treasury and Opposition held each other responsible for the prevailing situation in Punjab whereas Rana Mashhood, the PML-N MPA, had an argument with PA Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi over the rules of procedures.

Awais Leghari, the PML-N MPA from Dera Ghazi Khan and son of former president Sardar Farooq Leghari while representing Opposition said that the PTI government was standing on crutches. Over the arrest of Opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif, Leghari stated he was a political prisoner.

The PML-N legislator said that Shahbaz Sharif as CM changed the map of the province through the massive development carried out in his era. He said that in the days of flood, it was Shahbaz Sharif who stood with the flood affected people.

Malik Ahmed Khan, the PML-N legislator, said law and order in Punjab had worsened under the PTI government. He added that the government needed skills to deal with the white collar crime. He added that the people sitting in the Punjab cabinet were wanted by NAB. Malik Ahmed, who hails from Kasur, stated that underhe rule of Shahbaz Sharif, transparency was ensured and peace was restored.

He raised a question as to why the government removed Nasir Durrani from the headship of Punjab Police Reforms Commission and the government failure in protecting the lives, properties of citizens was visible during recent series of protests.

Rana Mashhood said the elements which attacked Parliament and state TV building should be exposed. He said the nexus between the PTI government and NAB had come to surface and a ‘saviour’ like Shahbaz Sharif had been put behind the bar.

After the PML-N allegations, Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan, Information Minister, slammed the Sharif family for corruption. He said Shahbaz Sharif had turned the province into a land facing debt of Rs1,200 billion whereas before him, Pervaiz Elahi left Punjab with a surplus Rs100 billion. He said NAB had arrested Shahbaz Sharif for his corrupt practices whereas his son Hamza Shahbaz occupied the poultry, cement, and iron industry.

Criticising Rana Mashhood, he said he had been talking foolishly for last three days and as the frontman of Hamza Shahbaz, he used to mint kickbacks from people. Besides, he alleged that in the Youth Festival, massive corruption was done. Punjab Minister Chaudhry Zaheer-ud-Din said the PML-N MPAs should tell why their leader had failed to prove the money trail.