Govt made record legislation under PM’s vision: Firdous

LAHORE: SACM on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said the PTI government has made record legislation under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision for masses betterment, adding that the Punjab Assembly has passed 75 bills despite having the largest opposition in history, which shows the best example of good governance.

This is an important step towards the transformation of the system to facilitate the common man. She said this while talking to media outside the Punjab Assembly Wednesday. She said the rules of procedure of the Punjab Assembly have been amended with the support and encouragement of Speaker Pervaiz Elahi and production orders have also been issued as and when required.

She said research centres are being set up in the law department for new legislation. The government has upgraded the outdated laws for the welfare of the people, she added. “We have changed the centuries-old laws of cooperatives and prisons into people-friendly, she further said. “We have amended the Sugar Control Act of 1950 to stop the years-long exploitation of farmers by the sugar mills mafia,” Firdous added. The SACM said the government has given legal protection to all its measures including the fight against COVID-19. The new era of progress and development has initiated with the passing of the Ravi Urban Development Act which will provide job opportunities to millions of people, she said. She regretted that the past rulers made hollow claims of legislation but their governance was limited to Model Town, 90-SQA, and Chief Minister’s Offices. I would like to remind the political slaves that one-man show was rampant in the past and no one dared to object to the political demigod, she added. The past governments violated the privilege of the assembly at numerous occasions but the PTI government has restored the honour of the Punjab Assembly, she further said.

To a question, Firdous said the ECP is a constitutional entity to work under the constitutional limits but it is quite bizarre that on one hand the government is going for strict lockdowns whereas on the other, the ECP is holding elections. She said the turnout remained thin in the Karachi by-election due to COVID-19 and the same would happen in Khushab to deprive the assembly member of true representation of the voters. If public lives are saved, voting can be done because public lives are more important than politics, she said. She said the government is going to regulate the poultry business the way it has handled the gubernatorial sugar mafia. She said Maryam Safdar has succumbed to the PDM and she is licking her wounds now. Similarly, the opposition is also silent because of the skirmish in its camps due to severe discords. Later, while addressing a ceremony of Lahore Qalandars at the Lahore Press Club, Firdous said sports fields are important to develop a healthy society while encouraging the sportsman spirit in the youth. She announced to promote women’s cricket as well, adding that encouragement of woman players was her mission and she is also ready to coach them.