The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz staged token walkout from Punjab Assembly session on Tuesday to record its protest against the detention of opposition leader Hamza Shehbaz, who is going to complete one year in jail.
Speaking on a point of order, PML-N MPA Rana Mashhood said that the opposition leader of Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz will complete his one year in jail on 12th June this month but the reference against him couldn’t be framed even today. The political vendetta with Hamza Shehbaz is on the rise but his political struggle will be written in golden words, said PML-N MPA. Responding to PML-N, Law Minister Raja Basharat said that Hamza Shehbaz is in jail not on the executive orders but on the directives of court and the Punjab government has nothing to do with his detention. Speaker Ch Pervaiz Elahi also said that Punjab government has no connection with the case of Hamza Shehbaz. It is worth mentioning here that Hamza Shehbaz, who is also the opposition leader, is the only member of Punjab Assembly who is behind the bars these days and comes to the House on production orders issued by the Speaker.
The session of Punjab Assembly started after the delay of more than one and half hour from its scheduled time of 2 PM with Speaker Ch Pervaiz Elahi in the chair and questions related to the Food Department were there on the agenda item. Speaker Elahi showed his displeasure over the absence of Food Minister Aleem Khan in the House despite the fact that questions related to his department were there on the agenda. It is not our concern that he is in Islamabad as he was supposed to come to the House, Speaker observed. As Parliamentary Secretary for Food Rai Zahoor Ahmad failed to give answers to the queries of lawmakers, Speaker showed his annoyance while pending all the remaining questions and directed him to come to the House with full preparation next time.
Meanwhile, The Punjab Curriculum and TextBook Board (Amendment) Bill moved by MPA Khadija Umer of PML-Q was passed in the House unanimously. As per the bill, the Islamic content related to the books of Islamiat, Pakistan Studies, Urdu Literature and History will be included only after getting approval from the Muttahida Ulema Board of Punjab. Speaker Elahi said that the bill is meant to safeguard the finality of Holy Prophet that is part of our faith as derogatory content was earlier published in some books regarding the sacred personalities of Islam. Although it was private member bill but the whole House passed it unanimously while also lauding the role played by Speaker Elahi in this regard.
Meanwhile, a resolution was also passed in the House paying rich tribute to veteran journalist Prof Waris Mir (father of renowned anchorperson Hamid Mir). The resolution was moved by PML-N MPA Khalil Tahir Sindhu in which the services of Prof Waris Mir were lauded in the field of journalism. “Prof Waris Mir started his career in journalism in 1958. He was a leading journalist, intellectual and great teacher of his time who always struggled for the sake of democracy,” said the resolution. It was also demanded that the New Campus Underpass of Punjab University must be renamed after him keeping in view his services.
The session was later adjourned to meet again on Friday afternoon.