Punjab Assembly, with a thumping majority on Wednesday passed a resolution to hold vote of confidence for President Pervez Mashharaf on Thursday, January 1, 2004.
The House commenced its deliberations with Speaker Afzal Sahi in the chair at 3:40 pm.
In Question Hour pertaining to Revenue and Colonies, on a query from MPA Aftab Ahmed Khan about allocation of proprietary rights in colony districts, Gul Hameed Rokri, Minister for Revenue, stated that 12,235 persons were given proprietary rights on 88,379 acres in period between January 1999 and November 2002.
The Minister added that total 17,238 acres land was allotted to 1691 persons under Prime Minister's scheme during the period earlier mentioned.
Answering questions on establishment of Jinnah Colonies in Punjab from period 1988 till now, Rokri stated that no land for the purpose had been acquired in the period.
However, a new policy is being framed for distribution of plots in already existing Jinnah Colonies in the province, he added. Rokri averring in the Assembly pointed that the Punjab Government is to distribute 1,12,000 plots in the province for poor. "We will also incur expenses for construction of these," he added.
Replying to another question, he stated that a total of 228 patwaris were dismissed during last five years. As many as 119 of them have been reinstated by courts, he added.
Dilating on status of patwaris in revenue structure after introduction of computerisation, he said that they, after training in relevant field, would be given assignments.
On a Point of Order by an opposition MPA, Minister Colonies Punjab stated that government had taken substantive measures against Qabza Groups in the province.
Sheikh Amjad Aziz speaking on a Point of Order appreciated government steps against Qabza Mafia and said that 5,000-kanal government land was recovered in Cantonment area in Lahore.
An opposition MPA asked the provincial government to take severe action against Qabza Group that had usurped 32-kanal graveyard in Township area.
A Privilege Motion by MPA Ehsan Ullah Waqas regarding Supervision of Control of Children Homes Act, Minister for Social Welfare Punjab Sughra Imam said a summary for nomination of its eight members has already been moved in December.
The Speaker kept pending another Privilege Motion by Jahanzeb Imtiaz Gill, with reference to Prisons Department.
Punjab Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja answering a Point of Order raised by Shafqat Abbasi MPA on Ganj Mandi incident in Rawalpindi stated that an inquiry of the incident would be held.
Minister for Agriculture Asrshad Khan Lodhi, replying to a Point of Order, stated that a target of 8 million cotton bales would be achieved in the province.
Opposition benches asked the government to take due notice of recently levied duty on Pakistani Basmati Rice by the European Union.
During a debate on sugar, Treasury benches were apprised by Opposition that farmers were not receiving dues of their sugarcane. Chaudhry Iqbal Food Minister stated that measures have been taken in this respect.
The Food Minister replying to a Point of Order stated that out of 49 total sugar mills, only three were not working at present.
Raja Riaz from Faisalabad on a Point of Order showed his concern over weighing scale difficulties faced by sugarcane producers in the province. Mukhtar Ali Shah asked government to establish mini sugar mills in the province on a Point of Order.
Irrigation Minister Amir Sultan Cheema replying to a question on status of 8,000 SCARP tube-wells stated that 6175 of them have been 'dis-invested'.
The Minister informed the House about abolition of 'Abiana' on six-monthly canals by Punjab Government during the assembly session.
Out of total five resolutions presented in the House one was kept pending, two rejected and one disposed of on the occasion.
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