LAHORE: The 33rd session of the Punjab Assembly has been prorogued for an indefinite period, says a press release issued by the assembly secretariat here on Thursday.

It says the order to put off the session sine die was given by the governor.

The house proceedings had been suspended by the speaker for a week on Sunday keeping in view the deteriorating law and order situation in the wake of the Faizabad operation.

The decision to prorogue the session has apparently been taken because of the continued sit-in outside the assembly building by the Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasoolullah for the last six days.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed has expressed his dismay over the proroguing of assembly session and said the government is trying to create the Islamabad-like situation in Lahore.

He said the session was suspended till Dec 4 after running it for just one day and consequently prorogued indefinitely.

Speaking to media persons here on Thursday, the opposition leader said the assembly was scheduled to discuss financial irregularities in 56 public sector companies.

Like the federal government, he said, the Punjab government had also lost its writ. He said the opposition would stage a sit-in on the stairs of Punjab Assembly, if the government did not call session within a week.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2017