LAHORE: Opposition in the Punjab Assembly on Monday questioned the ‘weak representation’ of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the Arab-Islamic American Summit and urged the federal government to play its role in resolving issues between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

On a point of order, Opposition Leader Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed said United States President Donald Trump had tried to divide Muslims and ignored sacrifices of Pakistanis in war on terror in his speech.

He said Nawaz Sharif who was present at the summit should have given a befitting response to Trump for terming India a victim of terrorism and completely ignoring Pakistan. India was committing terrorism in different parts of Pakistan, including Balochistan, he said.

“The Nawaz government’s foreign policy has completely failed. The government also faced embarrassment on the matter of Indian spy Jadhav,” he said.

Questions PM’s ‘weak representation’ at Arab summit

Mr Rashid further said Pakistan should not become part of Saudi-Iran conflict rather it should play its role in resolving differences between the two countries.

Following Rasheed’s criticism on the premier, the opposition members started chanting ‘Go Nawaz go’ slogan. The treasury responded with anti-Imran slogans. During the sloganeering an opposition member pointed out quorum. The chair adjourned the proceedings for Tuesday morning.

Earlier, during the question hour, the house was informed that the government was considering enhancing punishment for the people involved in illegal organ trade.

In a reply to a question by Jamaat-i-Islami’s Dr Waseem Akhtar, health minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said the provincial government had lodged 21 FIRs in illegal kidney transplantation under the rules of the Punjab Human Organ Transplant Authority. The law proposes punishment of 10 years and Rs1million fine for those involved in this heinous crime. The minister said the government was considering enhancing punishment for the crime.

He said the government had also formed District Vigilance Committees under the supervision of deputy commissioner to unearth the network involved in illegal organ trade. “We are getting good results because of this vigilance system and also have taken the help of intelligence agencies to trace such elements,” the minister said.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2017