May 27, 2003	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 24,1424

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LAHORE, May 26: The Punjab government on Monday tabled four bills in the provincial assembly amid the combined opposition’s agitation over the Legal Framework Order.

The bills pertained to health, education, and perks of the MPAs.

They were introduced for discussion after the provincial assembly resumed its session, which was briefly adjourned after the opposition’s legislators turned rowdy over the issue of the distribution of the development funds.

On the occasion, leader of the opposition Qasim Zia criticized the Punjab government, saying that it was ignoring the opposition on vital issues and supporting the president on the issue of divesting his military uniform and the LFO.

As soon as the speaker asked provincial law minister Mohammad Basharat Raja to respond on the issue, the opposition started raising slogans against the LFO, the president and the government, and moved en masse towards the treasury benches.

While the speaker called for order, members of the treasury bench confronted members of the opposition, shouting slogans in favour of the president.

The speaker adjounred the session for half an hour after the C&W minister tugged at the collar of a PML-N member.

After the resumption of the assembly session, the deputy leader of the opposition Rana Sanaullah Khan, speaking on a point of order, insisted that his resolution against the LFO be taken up, which was dissallowed by the speaker after the law minister opposed the motion, provoking the opposition to resume their shouting.