LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Wednesday met hardly for 10 minutes as it received the news of death of MPA Malik Mazhar Abbas Raan (PP-201 Multan).

Mazhar Abbas was admitted to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) when he complained about chest pain during Tuesday’s House proceedings. He breathed his last on Wednesday morning and the House met only to pay him homage before performing his last rites.

Born on Feb 1, 1953, Mazhar Abbas had been in active politics since 1988 and had remained with the PPP, the PML-Q and the PML-N before joining the PTI.

The House remembered him as an active member and political worker who would be missed by his colleagues for his decency and clearheadedness. The House will now meet on Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, Khwaja Salman Rafique who is under the NAB custody and arrived in the House on Wednesday after Speaker Pervaiz Elahi issued his production order, told the waiting journalists that he wanted the PTI to amend the NAB laws.

“There are a number of procedural issues that need to be sorted out,” he told the media which had forced him to speak.

Explaining those issues, he said: “A 90-day remand is too much and so are the powers of the investigation officer – he has so much discretionary power that he can turn around the case at will. Forums for bail also need to be increased. There are many other issues that must be sorted out,” he demanded.

When asked why the PML-N missed those procedural corrections when in power, he conceded the mistake and urged the PTI to take initiative now. Citing an example of his production order by the Speaker, he said it not only showed the victory of democracy but also the possibility of parties working together for dealing with such common issues.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2019