LAHORE: In spite of opposition by a minister, the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday adopted a unanimous resolution demanding audit of private schools across the province and imposition of tax on them.

PML-N’s Nighat Shiekh presented the resolution demanding annual audit of all private schools and imposition of tax based on its (audit) report.

As the education minister was not present in the house, minorities minister Khalil Tahir Sindhu said the Punjab Private Education Bill would deal with this matter.

Ms Shiekh, who was joined by treasury’s Shiekh Allauddin, insisted a thorough audit of private schools should be conducted since there was no official check on them.

The minister categorically opposed the idea.

The opposition members supported the resolution. Sher Ali Gorchani, who was in the chair, opted for vote after the minister’s opposition. Surprisingly, all the treasury and opposition members voted in its favour, except Mr Sindhu.

Earlier, Shiekh Allauddin drew the chair’s attention to the private schools flouting the government’s order seeking provision of free education to 10 percent of the students. He contested the claim of the parliamentary secretary that the schools were following the direction.

Mr Allauddin said the parliamentary secretary had wrong statistics with him and he should better recheck them. The speaker asked Mr Allauddin to bring the matter to the assurance committee. Mr Allauddin insisted that he had pinpointed a major issue concerning all. As the speaker was reluctant to form a committee, the members of opposition – PPP, PML-Q and Jamaat-i-Islami – observed a token walkout against the attitude of the speaker.

PML-Q’s Sardar Vikas Hasan Mokal raised the point that only two ministers were present in the house and they, along with the parliamentary secretaries, failed to satisfy even the treasury members on their questions. Treasury’s Javed Ahmed and Ahmed Khan endorsed Mokal’s point of view.

Mr Mokal also asked the chair to at least ensure the presence of the ministers if the leader of the house (Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif) could not show up.

The treasury members voted out a resolution tabled by the opposition demanding strict action against fake drugs manufacturers.

PML-Q’s Amer Sultan Cheema presented the resolution that also sought action against the medical stores selling such medicines.

As the Punjab government has no health minister, Mr Sindhu responded to it saying the government had taken action against such elements. As Mr Cheema insisted upon knowing the details of the government action, the speaker tabled the resolution for voting.

In the voting the treasury outnumbered the tiny opposition. Cheema wondered how could the treasury “support” the manufacturers of fake drugs.

The house adopted three more resolutions unanimously. It condemned French magazine for publication of blasphemous sketches and demanded the federal government should ask the UN to pass a legislation barring publication of any blasphemous content against prophets.

The house also adopted a condolence resolution on the death of Saudi King Abdullah.

Published in Dawn February 11th , 2015

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