LAHORE: Opposition MPAs staged a token boycott from the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday in protest at the house arrest of Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed.

At the request of Jamaat-i-Islami MPA Dr Wasim Akhtar, the opposition members boycotted the session. Mr Akhtar said Mr Saeed had made the Kashmir issue alive and there had been a lot of social work on the credit of Falah-i-Insaniat. He demanded the immediate release of Saeed and other JuD leaders.

Speaking on the point of order, Opposition Leader Mahmoodur Rasheed said the PML-N government had taken action against Mr Saeed because of the United States and India. “Action against Saeed shows that the government has succumbed to Indian pressure,” he said, adding that Mr Saeed was being punished for raising voice for the rights of Kashmiris and no one could doubt his patriotism.

Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said the government and JuD’s policy on Kashmir was different.

The House adopted three resolutions - developing a website about the life of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah tabled by PTI’s Murad Ras, proposing ban on protest on The Mall and video games business in different localities of Lahore, moved by Hina Pervaiz and Nabila Hakim.

During the Question Hour, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Jehangir Khanzada said gym for women would be established in the coming financial year in the province and football and hockey stadium be developed. He said the government was also upgrading the grounds of the public schools in the province.

Prisons Minister Ahmad Yar said a summary for upgrade of jail wardens had been sent to the chief minister for approval. He said at present four jails had the facility of family rooms and during the next financial year family rooms would be developed in four more jails.

Ms Pervaiz drew the attention of the chair towards the ‘culture of bribe’ in jails. She said no visitor was accommodated unless he greased the palms of the jail officials. Speaker Rana Iqbal asked the minister to take notice of this matter and do the needful.

PTI MPA Ahmed Khan said the government should remove silts from canals before Feb 13 and it should also compensate farmers of upper Punjab because of low rainfall. Arif Abbasi said the government had made laws to regulate brick kilns in the province but there had been no implementation. Minorities Minister Tahir Khalil Sandhu said cases were being registered against the kiln owners for violation of new rules.

Published in Dawn February 1st, 2017