Daily Times

LAHORE: Opposition in the Punjab Assembly through a resolution on Friday demanded the resignation of Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif for giving a controversial statement during his visit to the United States that was not being considered in favour of the country, the Pakistan Army and the government policy.

The resolution was filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf backed opposition leader in the House Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed in the Notice Branch of the Punjab Assembly Secretariat on Friday. In the resolution, he urged the government of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to call an explanation from the foreign minister on his statement.

The resolution accused the minister of being more pro-India and pro-US than pro-Pakistan, which was a matter of serious concern. It said that such statements were also a negation of the sacrifices of the Pakistan Army. Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed also said in the resolution that it was not clear whether Khawaja Asif was protecting the interests of Pakistan or someone else.

Separately, an adjournment motion was also filed in the Punjab Assembly against the sale of land set aside for graveyards and parks in hundreds of housing schemes in the city, which showed carelessness of the officers of the Cooperatives and Revenue departments. The adjournment motion was submitted by Chaudhry Amir Sultan Cheema of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) in which he highlighted the violation of the master plans of hundreds of housing societies in Lahore, and demanded the government that it should take notice of the issue and resolve it on a priority basis.

Published in Daily Times, September 30^th 2017.