October 04, 2007	Thursday	Ramazan 21, 1428

LAHORE, Oct 3: Opposition members in the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday joined newsmen in the protest against police action on media people and lawyers outside the Election Commission office in Islamabad on Sept 29.

After start of proceedings, 40 minutes or so late than the scheduled time of 11am, newsmen walked out of the house when PA secretary Saeed Ahmad announced the panel of chairman for the 31st session.

Opposition members Azma Bokhari, Faiza Ahmad, Saghira Islam, Talat Yaqoob, Chaudhry Ijaz, Rai Ijaz and Samiullah Khan followed the journalists’ and joined their demonstration outside the assembly building, raising anti-government slogans.

Before joining the journalists’ protest, an opposition member pointed out lack of quorum. After count, Speaker Azfal Sahi ordered ringing of bells.

Speaking to the demonstrators, Punjab Union of Journalists office-bearers lashed out at the government for not taking any concrete action against the police officials involved in the brutality. They alleged that the Punjab Assembly secretariat had not issued entry passes to certain journalists for the current session at the behest of the government.

MPA Samiullah Khan alleged instead of giving a patient hearing to the aggrieved journalists, Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi asked his driver to hit them which was against all norms.

Meanwhile, the treasury benches decided to send provincial ministers Chaudhry Iqbal and Mushtaq Kiani to bring back the media people back in the house. The two ministers assured the media people that the matter would be discussed on the floor of the house. On this, the journalists ended the boycott.

Later, Law Minister Raja Basharat informed the house that an inquiry was under way about the Sept 29 happenings in Islamabad. He assured the house the government officials found involved in violence against journalists would not be spared.