LAHORE: A Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) legislator in the Punjab Assembly on Thursday sought details about the population of the minorities in the province, questioning why the number of the Christian, Hindu, Sikh and other minority members is not included in the census.

Moving a call-attention notice, PTI MPA Shunila Ruth asked reasons for not disclosing the population of the minorities in Punjab. “The federal government had recently conducted population census in the country and did not reveal the number of the minorities in the province,” she deplored.

“Why the government has not revealed the population of the minorities in Punjab and why they have been subjected to discrimination,” she continued her tirade, also asking the government to share the number of the differently abled people in the province.

Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Minister Khalil Tahir Sindhu also raised the same question that why the federal government was not revealing the population census details of the minorities.

“Has our population not increased after 1973 and is the federal government afraid that it will have to increase the number of seats in the national and provincial assemblies,” he said.

Opposition leader wants POL prices reverted

Punjab Law Minster Rana Sanaullah said the federal government had counted every citizen in the population census but the Election Commission of Pakistan would give the number of minorities. Although the census had shown increase in population, he said, the federal and provincial assemblies’ seats were not being increased from 141 and 297 (through direct election) respectively.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan snubbed the parliamentary secretary for transport for not coming up with a detailed answer to a legislator’s question about details of the amount spent on the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) and Lahore’s Metro Bus.

PTI’s Muhammad Arif Abbasi walked out of the session after the Speaker granted him (the secretary) more time until the next PA session. Mr Abbasi before leaving the House also objected to a direction passed by the Speaker to Muhammad Nawaz Chauhan (parliamentary secretary for transport) on Jan 29 to come up with a detailed answer on Feb 1 after he failed to satisfy him.

Mr Chauhan sought more time from the Speaker for giving a detailed answer. However, the Speaker expressed dismay over the secretary’s attitude.

On Jan 29, Mr Abbasi had asked about the markup rate on $1.626 billion external debt acquired by the government for the train project and procedure for its return. He also wanted to know where the amount was being spent.

During the Question Hour, Minister for Prisons Malik Ahmed Yar Hunjra said the issue of overcrowding would be solved as four jails had started functioning and the prisoners were being shifted there. Another jail would be constructed at Sua-i-Asal, he added.

The opposition leader, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, on a point of order, lashed out at the government after Nihal Hashmi was awarded punishment by the Supreme Court. He said the government should stop maligning the institutions including the judiciary.

He also took exception to increase in the oil prices and demanded that the decision be taken back.

Later, the treasury and opposition benches developed a consensus to continue the House proceedings till Senate elections; the session will be conducted for three days from second week of this month. The legislators also agreed to continue House proceedings on Feb 5.

The Speaker adjourned the House until 9am on Friday.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2018

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