Opp slams govt over ‘wrong’ answers in PA

LAHORE:The opposition on Monday slammed the government in Punjab Assembly over ‘incorrect’ answers given by the parliamentary secretary for forest.

The PA session, which began with a delay of nearly one and a half hour with Deputy Speaker Mir Dost Mohammed Mazari, witnessed uproar during the question hour session, which was related to Forest, Wildlife and Fisheries and Parliamentary Secretary Raza Hussein Bokhari who responded to the queries of legislators.

Suhaib Bherat, PML-N legislator, lodged a protest before the chair over the ‘wrong’ answers being provided to the House by the parliamentary secretary. The PML-N MPA, who hails from Sargodha, said instead of providing wrong answers to the House, the questions must be referred to committee.

Suhaib Bherat on the occasion also announced for coming up with Privilege Motion against the parliamentary secretary for giving wrong information in the elected assembly. During the proceedings, when Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, opposition leader, entered the house, the PML-N legislators welcomed him while chanting the slogans ‘Sher, Sher.’

Khalil Tahir Sindhu, the PML-N legislator, while speaking on the floor of the House lodged a protest over the renaming of Waris Mir Underpass in Lahore which had been named as Kashmir Underpass. He stated that the Speaker PA had given the ruling that the said Underpass should be named as Waris Mir Underpass again on which Law Minister Raja Basharat responded that the work of Speakers ruling would soon be completed.

Mir Dost Mohammed Mazari, Deputy Speaker, on the occasion directed the law minister to implement the ruling of the House at the earliest. Besides, Law Minister Raja Basharat while speaking in the House stated that government will bring all ordinances in the PA in accordance with law.

While responding to the point raised by PML-N MPA Sami Ullah Khan who had stated that National Assembly was being run through ordinances and same pattern was being followed in Punjab, the law minister said that the government had approached Election Commission over the issue related to the Local Government. The opposition also staged a boycott of the PA proceedings later.

Meanwhile, the government sought extension of 90 days in the laying of five ordinances which was granted after which the House was adjourned till Tuesday.

Transfers: The Punjab government has issued notification of transfer and posting of officers on Monday. According to the notification Sh. Muhammad Tahir, DMO R.Y Khan, has been transferred and posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) R.Y Khan, Sumera Rabbani, Assistant Commissioner (Hqrs) Bahawalpur, as Director PHA Bahawalpur, FiazA Ahsan, Section Officer (SO) Literacy & Non-Formal Education, as Deputy Secretary (Admin) Environment Protection Department, vice Tariq Mahmood Awan who has been directed to the report the S&GAD for further orders.

Muhammad Kashif (awaiting posting) has been posted as Deputy Secretary Higher Education vice Rahmeen Akram, who has also been transferred and posted as Director (Admin) PIMPD. Tania Malik, DMO Lahore, has been transferred and posted as Deputy Secretary Home Department, Shumaila Manzoor (awaiting posting) as Deputy Secretary Labour & Human Resource Department and Muhammad Kaleem, SO Regulation-II (S&GAD), as Deputy Secretary Schools Education against a vacant post.

PU conference: Three-day 7th International Conference on Research in Education (ICORE-2019) with the theme of “Teacher Education: 21st Century Challenges” will begin at the Punjab University (PU) here on Tuesday (today).

Delegates from USA, UK, Philippine, KSA, France, Malaysia, Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland and New Zealand, researchers, teacher educators, teachers, practitioners, social scientists and professionals around the world will participate in the conference being organised by the PU’s Institute of Education and Research (IER).