PPP MNA demands south Punjab province

ISLAMABAD: Newly-elected Member of the National Assembly Ali Qasim Gilani, son of former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Friday voiced for a separate south Punjab province to end deprivation of the people there.

“The region to which I belong to is south Punjab, and to end deprivations of people of region, it is our demand that we should have a separate province for which we will continue to raise our voices in the National Assembly,” Ali Qasim in his brief maiden speech, after taking oath, on floor of the National Assembly said.

Ali Qasim did not shy of expressing thanks to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shehbaz and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for supporting him in bye-elections. “I want to especially thank the PMLN leadership, including Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, PM Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz, for supporting me and maintaining spirit of Charter of Democracy,” he said.

He said it was an honour for him that he was elected on seat which belongs to his father Yousuf Raza Gilani. “This is the seat on which he was elected and he remained prime minister for four years,” he said.

Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani was also present in VVIP visitors’ gallery to witness oath-taking and speech of his young son. Gilani’s two sons — Ali Musa Gilani and Abdul Qadir Gilani — have already been sworn in as MNAs.

Ali Qasim said that he wanted to express thanks to people of Multan who buried politics of hatred and fake propaganda for their bright future.

At the same time, the young parliamentarian also remembered sufferings of people of Gaza and Rafah. “We should not forget people and children of Gaza and Rafah who are being martyred and should continue to raise voice for them,” he said.

He also thanked President Asif Ali Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, his father and other party leaders for their support to him.

The prolonged proceedings of the National Assembly on Friday continued till 1.45pm when PTI parliamentarian Umair Ahmad Khan Niazi pointed out lack of quorum in the House.

Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa adjourned the proceedings till Monday as less than 40 members were present and the House was not in order.

Earlier, Ali Muhammad Khan, PTI-backed MNA, on a point of order, rejected propaganda of luxurious facilities being provided to the PTI founder. “Our leader is being kept 6x8 feet cell of prison, he said.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan, on a point of order, said that leaders and workers of the PTI are arrested soon after they are released from prisons on bail.

Omar also called upon the chair that FIA director general be called to explain as to why an FIA sub-inspector sent him summons to appear for investigations into Imran Khan’s post on ‘X’. He said that a similar notice had also been sent to Barrister Gohar Ali Khan.

He said that PTI leaders have been acquitted or got bail but they were not being released because jail authorities say that were under pressure and could not release them.

Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza, while taking part in debate on president’s address to joint sitting of Parliament, termed defeat of Pakistan cricket team at hands of the United States in T20 world cup as blackest day in cricket history. “It seems that impacts of personality of PCB Chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi have also reached the team’s camp,” he commented.

He said that the PTI founder was trapped in fake cipher case but the Islamabad High Court exposed reality of cipher.

He also regretted framing Iddat case against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

Without naming Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Hamid Raza said a ‘Banarsi Thug’ from Sialkot on floor of the House commented that Pakistan Army lost 1948, 1965, 1971, 1984 and Kargil wars saying that he should himself be ashamed of such statements instead of taunting leaders of opposition parties. Commenting on President Zardari’s desire for dialogue and discussion on national issues, he said an atmosphere was needed for such an exercise. Umair Khan Niazi of the SIC said that the elected and well-performing government of Imran Khan was toppled through no-confidence motion after the cipher issue surfaced.

Abdul Latif of SIC challenged honesty and integrity of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who presents himself at international fora as honest leader. He said the president talks about dialogue but how dialogue could be possible with those occupying the government on basis of fake Form 47. Veteran parliamentarian Syed Khursheed Shah, on a point of order, condemned imposition of Essential Service Act on Pakistan International Airlines and banning union activities in the organisation. “Essential Service Act is imposed in defence organisation and PIA is not defence entity,” he said.

He said he would support public-private partnership to run organisations like PIA.

Sharmila Faruqui of the PPP regretted non-serious attitude of ministers and government departments towards business of the National Assembly. She pointed out no answers to 31 out 46 questions were received on Thursday.

Speaking points of order, PPP members Shazai Marri and Abdul Sattar Bhachani said the interior parts of Sindh were facing upto 20 hours of load-shedding but there was nobody to address their grievances.

Parliamentarians from Karachi Asad Alam Naizi, Sardar Nabeel Gabol and Ikhtiar Beg on a calling attention notice raised concerns over prolonged hours of load-shedding and overbilling by K-Electric.

They pointed out that up to 16 hours load-shedding was being observed in various parts of Karachi. “All consumers whether they are responsible for line losses or not are being treated equally,” he said.

Minister of State for Finance, Revenue and Power Division Ali Pervaiz Malik, responding to the calling attention notice, said that K-Electric had achieved zero load-shedding on 1,500 out of 2,109 feeders in Karachi.

He said the load-shedding of 6-10 hours is being conducted on the feeders with higher losses.”

Ali Pervaiz said, “The losses of 10 feeders have exceeded 25 percent and the efforts are being made to reduce these losses with the help of local administration and public representatives.”

The minister clarified, “There is no load-shedding of 16 hours; rather, it is between 6-10 hours.”

He said, “Electricity tariff is regulated by Nepra following a prescribed procedure, adding that the electricity prices have not changed; increases are due to fuel price adjustments.”

Ali Pervaiz said electricity might be cut off for more than 10 hours on technical grounds and assured the House that all concerns of the National Assembly members will be addressed.