PA passes Punjab LG Bill 2021 with majority vote

LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Wednesday passed several bills including the Punjab Local Government Bill 2021 with majority vote.

Besides passing the bills, the house also passed resolutions about the constitutional rights of the province and the arrest of Senator Azam Swati. The amendment drafts of the rules were again presented in the house and were also approved.

The Punjab Assembly session started with a delay of 2 hours and 47 minutes, under the chairmanship of Speaker Punjab Assembly Sibtain Khan. During the question hour, questions were replied by Provincial Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Muhammad Basharat Raja. Later on, he presented the draft law, Punjab Ehsaas Program 2022 bill, in the house, which was approved by a majority vote.

The Punjab Local Government 2021 bill, Punjab Occupational Safety and Health Amendment 2020 bill, Punjab Seed Corporation Amendment 2022 bill, Factories Amendment 2022 bill and Forest Amendment 2022 bill were also approved.

All the bills were approved by the House in its previous session and were later sent to the Punjab governor. However, the governor had sent back the bills without approving them. On Wednesday, all those bills were again presented in the house, which were approved with a majority vote.

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) Member Tahir Khalil Sindhu, speaking on a point of order, raised objections on the government’s method of legislation. He said as per the law, rules were suspended in exceptional circumstances and legislation could not be made without bringing it to a committee. He added that if everyone was consulted, better legislation could be made.

Provincial Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Raja Basharat said that the legislation, being done, was in accordance with the law and was taking place with the permission of the speaker, who approved the suspension of the rules for legislation.

On the opposition’s protest, Speaker Sibtain Khan directed the departments concerned to take the opposition into confidence on the bills. Later, Provincial Minister Ali Afzal Sahi presented a resolution, condemning the arrest of Senator Azam Khan Swati. He strongly condemned the cruel and brutal physical and mental torture. The resolution further said that the ‘imported’ government indulged in state sponsored oppression against Azam Swati and his rights as a parliamentarian were also being violated.

The resolution demanded the federal government immediately withdraw the false and baseless cases against him and he should be released immediately. This resolution was approved by majority opinion.

The house approved another resolution regarding the constitutional rights of the province of Punjab. The treasury members condemned the mistreatment of Punjab by the federal government and demanded the federal government immediately release the pending dues of Punjab. The resolution stated that nothing had been given for rehabilitation of the flood victims. It claimed that withholding the dues of Rs176 billion were affecting the health and other sectors in Punjab.

The federal government wanted to ruin Punjab by withholding its rightful dues, the resolution said adding the federal government was neither giving wheat to Punjab nor allowing it to buy wheat.

“There is shortage of wheat for daily use; the ‘imported’ government has become so blind in revenge that it is oppressing people,” it said and demanded that Punjab should be allowed to buy wheat by itself so that people do not face hardships due to shortage of wheat. Punjab’s legal and constitutional dues of Rs176 billion should be paid, it said and the house also approved the resolution by majority vote. Later, Speaker Punjab Assembly Sibtain Khan adjourned the session till 3pm on Thursday.