Opposition to be informed regarding Gujranwala rally before 16th: minister

LAHORE: The government was indecisive to grant permission to the opposition to hold its public gathering due on Friday in Gujranwala. Provincial Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Raja Basharat failed to gave policy statement on the floor of the House regarding giving permission to the public gathering announced by the Pakistan Democratic Movement in Gujranwala on Friday.

"The opposition will be informed regarding its public gathering before October 16," said Law Minister Raja Basharat. Raja Basharat said that the opposition will be allowed to hold public gathering only within the limits of the law and no one will be allowed to raise provocative slogans against the state institutions.

The session of Punjab Assembly started after a delay of more than two and half hour from its scheduled time with Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari in the chair. Answers related to the Communication and Works department were given by Parliamentary Secretary Sardar Shahab-ud-Din during the question-hour. Answering the queries of the MPAs, Parliamentary Secretary for Communication and Works said that all the roads of Punjab will be repaired once the department receives funds from the government.

Although the general discussion on law and order was supposed to be held on Monday but the focus was the PDM 'Jalsa' most of the time. PML-N MPA Samiullah Khan said that the government is still silent over the permission to hold our public gathering in Gujranwala and Law Minister Raja Basharat should give a clear cut policy statement regarding giving permission to the opposition gatherings. "The PTI held its public gathering in every district of the Punjab when they were in the opposition and the PML-N government facilitated them in every Jalsa," said Samiullah Khan and added that the PTI government is making lists to arrest our workers ahead of the Gujranwala public gathering.

He further said that the narrative of Nawaz Sharif is for the betterment and progress of Pakistan. The slogans of 'traitor' were chanted from the treasury benches during the speech of Samiullah Khan.

PPP MPA Makhdoom Usman also spoke in the general discussion on price control in which he grilled the government for increasing the price of basic commodities. The debate on price control was concluded by Minister for Industries Mian Aslam Iqbal. The session was later adjourned to meet again on Tuesday afternoon.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020