LAHORE: The issue of alleged police misbehaviour with Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari created ruckus in the Punjab Assembly again on Friday as the House sought “report” of the committee that was formed in the last week of January.

Then, the deputy speaker had reported to the House that his staff was not allowed into the Chief Minister House by police the previous day even after he introduced himself. The act, he said, was tantamount to “insult” to the House, breaching his privilege.

The Speaker formed a House committee to investigate the matter and report back. As an additional measure, he suspended the routine business and said no proceedings would be conducted unless the guilty were punished. It also summoned the IGP and asked to explain the behaviour of his subordinates and punish the guilty ones. The IG did come to the House the next day and promised “punishment” to the guilty.

On Friday, when the House met almost two-and-a-half hours behind the schedule, the Opposition sought the “report.” The situation took a turn for the worse when the deputy speaker, presiding over the proceedings at that point of time, reported that the “guilty policeman has been promoted to the rank of DSP.”

Summoning the IGP to the House was by no means a solution to the issue, only punishing the guilty ones would prove to be deterrence. It further fanned opposition’s passion which wanted the Treasury to explain the situation.

Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Raja Basharat came up with the explanation, saying that “committee was never notified” in writing: so, there is no question of written report. However, whatever the proceedings of the committee, which the House had only orally approved, would soon be shared with the House.

This line of argument failed to impress the opposition. Rana Mashhood of the Opposition was of the opinion that there was no need for a written notification after the House formed a “consensus committee” and also set the terms of reference (ToR). “So, bring the report instead of insulting collective decision of the House.”

Hassan Murtaza of the PPP thought if the Treasury did not feel bound by the “consensus House decision and order of the Speaker,” it can only be termed regrettable.

Provincial Minister for Information Fayyazul Hassan Chohan took the debate to another direction when he demanded that PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari be named in the murder of journalist Aziz Memon.

“If former president Pervez Musharaf can be named in the murder of Benazir Bhutto, why cannot Bilawal (Bhutto-Zardari) be included in the murder FIR of the journalist who had also forewarned about threats to his life and possible culprits,” he said. Hassan Murtaza of the PPP responded: “The provincial government and the PPP chairman had both offered help in investigation up to the satisfaction of the bereaved family. If they want judicial inquiry, the provincial government is ready. If they want any independent police officer to head the investigation, the PPP has no objection. The PPP government is committed to investigating up to the satisfaction of the complainant and it should not be used for political purposes.”

The House was adjourned till Monday afternoon after it completed the allotted time.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2020