Daily Times

LAHORE: Though some of the opposition as well as the treasury members shouted slogans against each other’s leadership in connection with the Panama case and the JIT on it, the opposition leader denied holding any formal protests like the previous days in the House.

He put forward a suggestion before Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif: since the entire nation, including lawyers, wanted his resignation, he must step down.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed opposition leader in the House Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed while talking in the House further stated that he had warned the PM to avoid any tussle, as the democratic system in the country could be derailed if he did not resign. Interestingly, when he completed his speech, the speaker announced that the opposition leader was not talking on a point of order so it must not be considered a point of order and must be expunged from the assembly proceedings.

The Punjab Assembly session on Thursdays started an hour and 17 minutes behind its scheduled time under the aegis of Speaker Rana Iqbal. Provincial Minister Syed Haroon Bukhari answered queries regarding the housing, urban development and public health departments.

Though he was in a pleasant mood all the time during the question hour, on the last question from his party colleague Nighat Sheikh, he boycotted her supplementary question about a linked road of Orange Line Metro Train (OMT) project, saying straight forward that he did not come to the House to be disrespected by women legislators.

Pertinent to mention here is that on the last International Women’s Day, Haroon Bukhari had to face a strong protest from female legislators on his remarks against the same lady, Nighat Sheikh, that she should meet him in his chamber to get satisfactory answer of her question during the question hour. Later, he apologised to the lady and other legislators on his remarks in the House.

When Nighat asked the question, the minister, instead of replying, expressed that he belonged to a religious family where several “dars” (religious teaching courses) were taught, but due to the previous issue, he couldn’t face the family members, neighbours and female participants of the dars. He said that he couldn’t even watch the television, as the media pinpoint his character. He said he could swear that he had never had any ill intention.

On this statement, the mover of the question just stated that she did not ask for any “character certificate” from the minister, but an answer to a very simple question, so he should answer it right now. On this, the minister, showing some aggression, left his seat to go out of the House but the speaker stopped him. However, the minister did not reply to the query and the speaker wrapped up the question hour without any further proceeding. During the question hour, Haroon Bukhari told the House that the Punjab government had ended the Ashiana Housing Scheme announced by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for Sargodha, while the government was going to install the biggest waste treatment plant in the world with a huge amount and assistance of the Asian Development Bank near River Ravi next year.