LAHORE, Aug 15: Punjab Excise and Taxation Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman has claimed that prices of wheat and floor are the lowest as compared with prices in other South Asian, Far Eastern and Middle Eastern countries.

Opening a general debate on supply and prices of essentials in the Punjab Assembly on Friday, the minister quoted the prices of various eatables in different countries and compared them with that of Punjab’s in the house.

He said that steps such as launching of the Food Stamp Scheme and establishment of multiple task forces had been taken to check the price crisis, which he partly attributed to international situation and partly to the federal government’s policies.

Refuting Mr Rehman’s claims, opposition leader Chaudhry Zaheeruddin asked if the people protesting the price hike on city roads had come from Beijing, Dhaka, Jeddah or Dubai.

Predicting even worse situation in Ramazan, Mr Zaheer said the government should give relief to the masses by reducing oil prices in commensurate with the decline in the international market.

He said the district government system introduced by their government had yielded positive results as far as price control was concerned and warned the incumbent rulers not to change it to avoid further chaos.

Earlier, opposition’s Naseem Lodhi pointed out lack of quorum, inviting criticism from the treasury, which said that as per traditions of the house the issue was not raised during open debates, question hour, and the time fixed for privilege or adjournment motions.

The argument did not convince Chaudhry Zaheer who said that the provision had been made in the rules to be used. However, the treasury managed to complete the quorum, but it could not be maintained for long.

The opposition again raised the issue at 9.30pm, forcing the chair, being held by Yawar Zaman, to adjourn the proceedings for Monday evening as the treasury could not arrange the presence of at least 94 in the 371-member house as required under the law.