LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly membership of former provincial minister Khwaja Imran Nazir was suspended and he was barred from attending rest of the sittings of the ongoing session for uttering “inappropriate” remarks against the panel of chairmen as well as the law minister on Thursday.

Panel of chairmen Mian Shafi banned the PML-N MPA’s entry into the house for the session for using inappropriate words for Law Minister Raja Basharat during discussion on spread of polio virus and fares of Orange Line Metro Train.

Former health minister Khwaja Salman Rafique and Rabia Naseem Farooqi blamed the government for spread of polio virus in the country and demanded an explanation for its “failure to contain the disease”.

Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid told the house that Punjab was never polio free. She explained that there’s a difference between non-surfacing of cases and presence of polio virus in sewerage.

Dissatisfied with the health minister’s response, the opposition legislators began chanting anti-government slogans and tore apart copies of the agenda, demanding that health portfolio should be taken back from Dr Yasmin.

As the law minister took the floor to pacify the opposition, Khwaja Imran Nazir passed some inappropriate remarks against him. The chair being held by Mian Shafi banned Khwaja Imrna’s entry into the house.

Khwaja Imran’s membership was suspended when he also uttered some remarks against the chair. The opposition staged a walkout in protest against the action.

Raja Basharat and Chaudhry Zaheeruddin demanded the chair to stop issuing production orders for those opposition member who misuse the privilege and disrupt the discipline and proceedings of the house.

The health department earlier acknowledged in the house that Shahbaz government had proactively worked against dengue outbreak in the province.

As per details tabled by the department before the house, the Shahbaz government had got technical staff of the department trained in Thailand and invited foreign experts to the country to successfully control the disease.

It was also stated that the previous government had formed committees at various levels to take stock of the situation and provide necessary support where required as well as medicines in the hospitals.

Earlier, Health Minister Dr Yasmin assured the house of provision of dialysis facility in Rahim Yar Khan on priority basis when PPP MPA Syed Usman Mahmood drew the government’s attention towards lack of the facilities at all four tehsil headquarters hospitals in the district.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2020