LAHORE: During its brief proceedings on Tuesday, the Punjab Assembly adopted a resolution seeking inclusion of oath of Khatm-i-Nabuwat in the Nikah (marriage) documents, as speaker skipped other agenda items, including a debate on the rising inflation.

Proceedings of the first sitting of the 36th session of the assembly requisitioned by the opposition began after around two hours delay, presided over by Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi.

The house offered Fateha for PML-N MPA Nishat Ahmed Daha, scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, MNA Pervaiz Malik and for the nine people killed by robbers at Rahim Yar Khan. A one-minute silence was observed for ex-MPA Peter Gill.

A public-interest resolution was taken out of turn and adopted unanimously, recommending the inclusion of Khatm-i-Nabuwat oath in the marriage documents.

The University of Lahore (amendment) Bill 2021, Rashid Latif Khan University Bill 2021, Punjab Community Safety Measures in Sports & Health Clubs, and the University of Management & Technology Lahore 2021 Bill, were introduced in the house and referred to the relevant committees with the direction of submitting their reports on the draft legislation within 60 days.

The speaker skipped the rest of the agenda, including debate on price-hike, and put off the proceedings for Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, the opposition PML-N protested against the prevailing price-hike outside the assembly building. The party’s lawmakers, as well as activists, joined the protest carrying placards in their hands and raising slogans, including “cheeni choro ata choro, jaan chhoro” (sugar thieves, flour thieves, spare us).

Opting for a novel way to protest the recent exorbitant hike in the petroleum prices, MPA Mirza Javed reached the assembly riding a bicycle.

PML-N Punjab spokesperson Azma Bukhari said inflation had broken the back bone of the masses, alleging the government was running the country on the IMF’s dictations.

She lamented that instead of offering subsidies on essential items the government increased taxes by 12 to 17 per cent on edibles.

She said the exchange rate of dollar was going up “like the bank balance of Imran Khan’s ATMs (financiers)”, while during the PML-N government the PTI had been accusing the then finance minister Ishaq Dar of keeping the greenback undervalued through “artificial means”.

Hina Butt, Sumera Komal, Sunmbal Malik, Tariq Gill and others were also present.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2021