Ministers accused of misleading PA

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly on Tuesday came under severe criticism from the opposition for ‘misleading’ the nation through wrong information during a question hour session.

The Punjab Assembly session, which started late for over an hour with Deputy Speaker Mir Dost Mohammed Mazari in chair, held a question hour session pertaining to the Ministries of Livestock and Dairy Development, Irrigation and Agriculture. Provincial Ministers Husnain Bahadur Dareshak, Chaudhry Zaheer ud Din and Malik Nauman Langrial responded to the queries of the legislators.

Mian Naseer Ahmed, PML-N MPA from Lahore, was the first questioner of the day who expressed dissatisfaction over the answer given by the Agricultural Department on the distribution of bags carrying wheat seeds.

The answer given to the House stated that in the year 2016-17, total 98,159 wheat bags weighing 50-kg were distributed among 57,260 farmers through a draw under which every farmer was to get two bags.

The PML-N legislator questioned if the figure of 57,260 was multiplied by two and the figure received through the calculation was 114, 520, which proved, as per the detail provided by the government, around 16,000 bags were missing.

He demanded the minister to explain where were the rest of the 16,000 seed bags of wheat on which Nauman Langrial responded that the process of distribution varied while keeping view the condition of agri zone. He stated that in some areas, one bag per farmer is distributed and in some areas, there was the policy of distributing two bags.

The answer provided by the minister didn’t satisfy Mian Naseer whereas the Deputy Speaker, while also endorsing the views of the questioner made the question pending. “If the same thing happens again, the matter must be referred to the committee”, said Mian Naseer Ahmed. He also blasted the Irrigation Department for allegedly misleading the House with wrong information regarding the construction of small dams in Punjab.

The PML-N legislator had asked the irrigation minister to inform the PA about the planning, measures taken by the government for water storage. Ch Zaheer ud Din, who responded to the queries related to Irrigation Department in the absence of Mohsin Leghari, the minister concerned, said large dams working in Pakistan include Tarbela Dam, Mangla Dam and Chashma. However, the answer which invited criticism on the government was related to small dams.

The House was told that under Small Dams Organisation 58 small dams had been completed in Punjab whereas work was underway on eight more. The PML-N MPA while challenging the facts provided by the minister stated the website of the same department updated just 10 days ago claimed that there were 12 small dams in Punjab. He asked the minister to explain whether the answer provided to the House in the answer book was right or the details mentioned in the website concerned. He said there had been a difference of 46 dams between the figures provided by the department to the Punjab Assembly and the information available at the website.

Ch Zaheer ud Din on the occasion stated that the details provided to PA was factual and the one mentioned at the website had to be updated. However, this didn’t please the questioner who insisted the government to take action against those who had misled the House. The minister on the occasion assured the Opposition MPA that an action would be taken against those who had provided wrong information.

After Mian Naseer Ahmed, it was another PML-N MPA Malik Arshad Advocate from Sahiwal district who rejected the details provided by the Livestock and Dairy Development Authority regarding the dispensaries operational in PP-198, Sahiwal.

Minister concerned Husnain Bahadur Dareshak on the occasion urged the questioner to point out the wrong information in the answer section so that it could be corrected. The Opposition MPA stated that there had been 13, not 12 dispensaries of Livestock in PP-198 and criticised the government to come up with factual answers.

“If you have to come up with such answers, its better we don’t pose questions”, said Malik Arshed. He said the government which was claiming to turn the country into a Madina like state had to fulfill its responsibilities and answer the queries of people.

Col (Retd) Ayub Khan, another PML-N MPA elected from Toba Tek Singh, expressed dissatisfaction over the details provided by Irrigation Department over water theft and fine imposed on the culprits as well the plan of government to provide canal water to the areas mentioned in the question.

The House was told that 92 cases had been registered against those involved in water theft in Toba Tek Singh areas on which Ayub urged the minister to provide the relevant answer instead of provided the details that had not been asked.

PML-N demands medical board for Shahbaz Sharif: On a point of order, Malik Waris Kallu, a senior PML-N legislator from Khushab, called for fair accountability and warned ‘we must learn from past experiences’. He said it had been 70 days that the head of PML-N was in NAB custody and demanded a medical board for him.