PA demands stringent security of media houses

LAHORE

The attack by unidentified gunmen on the head office of a private TV news channel Sunday night became a subject of heated debate in Punjab Assembly on Monday with members expressing solidarity with working journalists in the country and calling for stringent security arrangements at all media outlets. 

The assembly unanimously passed a resolution condemning attacks on all media houses this year and for tighter security to protect media persons. It was presented jointly by the opposition and treasury benches. 

PTI MPA and leader of Opposition Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed urged the PA speaker to allow his resolution condemning the incident to be tabled in his point of order.

The opposition leader lamented that a series of attacks on the media community had made them vulnerable and jeopardised their inalienable right to free speech. He demanded the Punjab government make necessary and effective security arrangements at the offices of TV channels and newspapers to prevent journalists from coming under attack. Law Minister Rana Sanaullah in response said efforts were being made to identify and arrest the perpetrators behind the attack. He praised the community for the positive role played in shaping public opinion against terrorism and generating a national consensus on the country’s security. Journalists staging a boycott of the session later returned to the press gallery after being assured of strict action against the attackers by cabinet member and Minister for Mines and Minerals Sher Ali Khan. 

The assembly resumed with a dismal number of parliamentarians and cabinet members in attendance. Minister for Communications and Works Tanveer Aslam Malik faced a tough time in question hour while defending the government’s performance in improving and developing roads infrastructure in the province. A series of critiques regarding the absence of proper drainage on roads, incomplete construction of roads, destruction of roads over the construction of the Orange Line Metro Train route, corruption of Communications and Works Department Punjab employees, and misallocation of funds for infrastructure were directed at Aslam. Beyond stating government policy, Aslam failed to give satisfying responses on the negligence of his department and misappropriation of funds under the supplementary budgets.

PML-N MPA Sheikh Allaudin in his adjournment motion called for an end to the import of packed food items from Western countries containing traces of pig meat and alcohol. Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Order Ch Gondal reminded the MPA that the Halal Development Agency was under the purview of the federal government and in the city of Lahore, the Punjab Food Authority had conducted several raids to ensure pure and hygienic food items to consumers.

Law Minister Rana Sanaullah meanwhile replied to call attention notices concerning a major theft case in Chiniot and in Faisalabad at the house of a MNA with assurances of investigation and arrest of perpetrators. The law minister assured journalists sitting in the press gallery that a meeting would be arranged with Lahore CCPO and Punjab IG in attendance to address their grievances and their suggestions would be positively received. He extended an invite to the Leader of Opposition to also attend the meeting with working journalists. The House was adjourned for Tuesday (today).