Uproar in PA over Panama Leaks debate

Important resolutions unaddressed

LAHORE

Exchange of harsh words between the opposition and treasury benches in Punjab Assembly session on Tuesday over the latest Panama Leaks that named members of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s family led to a complete breakdown in decorum and left important resolutions on issues of public interests unaddressed.

The chaos erupted after the Leader of the Opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed on a point of order demanded that his adjournment motion on the biggest data leak in history be tabled out of turn. Mehmood-ur-Rasheed claimed that he had submitted the motion four days ago and it had still to be addressed in the House.

The Senate and National Assembly have engaged in significant debates in recent days on the millions of dollars hidden from the public, said Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, adding that debate was being stalled by the government in Punjab Assembly. After the PA Speaker denied knowledge of Mehmood-ur-Rasheed’s motion, members of the opposition stood up and chanted slogans against the government. This led to similar chants against PTI Chief Imran Khan and expressing loyalty with PML-N leadership from mostly female members of the treasury bench. As a result of this breakdown, with PTI MPAs staging a dharna on the Assembly floor, the Speaker disposed of two resolutions of members of the opposition bench on terrorism and the state of Rural and Basic Health Units in the province.

After successfully calling for order in the House, the PA Speaker made agitating members return to their seats and resumed business of the day. A resolution submitted by PTI MPA Muhammad Sibtain Khan calling for a financial package for farmers, who had suffered economic losses due to crops damaged by excessive rainfall, by the government was passed with a majority vote. Meanwhile, a resolution from the Opposition Leader on the constitution of Pakistan Cricket Board on merit basis was also passed, in addition to two resolutions by PML-N MPA Najma Afzal Khan on inclusion of courses promoting a softer image of Pakistan in university syllabus and PTI MPA Saadia Sohail on action against owners of unlicenced medical stores in Punjab. A resolution submitted by PTI MPA Shoaib Siddiqi about a ban on imports from India was ruled pending as Siddiqi was absent from Assembly proceedings. Question hour witnessed dismal cooperation from the parliamentary secretaries, secretaries of the department, and relevant ministers. Seven questions on the departments of revenue and colonies were ruled pending by the PA Speaker as answers to questions submitted months and years ago were not available. 

Later in the session, the PA Speaker ruled that parliamentary secretaries and ministers should provide the necessary information and not ignore notices from his office.

On a point of order from PTI MPA Arif Abbasi, Parliamentary Secretary for Schools Education Joyce Rufin Julius informed the House that textbooks for 9th and 10th grade students in public schools in Rawalpindi would be immediately provided. In the zero hour for members to express any of their reservations, PML-N MPA Sheikh Allaudin complained that branch managers of foreign exchange institutions in Punjab were being harassed by Punjab police and their branches were being closed without orders from the competent authority in this case, the State Bank of Pakistan. Allaudin, who himself is the President of All Pakistan Foreign Exchange Banks, said even where security arrangements as ordered by the government under the new National Action Plan measures were taken, branches were being forcibly closed and millions of rupees lost incurred by the owners.

In response both the Parliamentary Secretary for Home Mahar Ijaz Ahmad Achlana and Law Minister Rana Sanaullah clarified that action was only taken where arrangements for security were not made and the Law Minister invited the PML-N MPA to a cabinet meeting on law and order to put forth his concerns. The House was adjourned for today (Wednesday).