Daily Times

Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi showed his displeasure over the PTI-led provincial government for not releasing funds approved by the assembly for public welfare projects.

Speaker Elahi used harsh words for the government, saying that the budget has not been issued for the Wazirabad Institute of Cardiology for last six months despite the fact that it was duly approved by the Punjab Assembly. “What is the purpose of this Assembly if its decisions are not implemented by the government? It is better to shut down it if you are not interested in implementing its decisions,” he said. “What is the government doing … the incumbent government has failed to highlight any of its projects,” he added.

According to Elahi, he has talked to Chief Minister Usman Buzdar regarding this issue but it is still unresolved. He was of the view that surgeries and other critical medical procedures of several patients are put on hold just because of the funds that have already been approved by this elected House. Later, the speaker referred the matter to the Special Committee No 12 of the Punjab Assembly.

Earlier, opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz said that his party is united under the leadership of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and opposition leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif. He said the incumbent government has miserably failed to bring down the prices of sugar and flour. He said that people are worried over increasing prices of electricity and petroleum products.

He was addressing the party lawmakers in Punjab Assembly while chairing the parliamentary party meeting in which he also announced his resignation as per the policy of party leader Nawaz Sharif.