LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution condemning the alleged misuse of authority by Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz to influence the July 17 by-polls on 20 seats of the provincial assembly.

In a hand-written resolution, which was not distributed among the press gallery members and unanimously adopted by the assembly session held at its secretariat amid a boycott by the treasury, it was claimed Hamza Shehbaz was not performing his duties as the chief minister in accordance with the SC order, and was using postings and transfers of bureaucrats, development works to rig the upcoming by-polls.

Moved by former law minister Raja Basharat of the PTI, it also condemned the alleged targeting of senior journalists, including Ayaz Amir, Arshad Sharif and Sami Ibrahim. It also noted the abstaining of the government from the business advisory committee, and demanded the entire situation be brought into the knowledge of the Supreme Court.

Sibtain Khan alleged that Home Minister Ata Tarar was openly posting and transferring police officers in a pre-poll rigging bid.

Mr Basharat announced they were approaching the apex court against the government for using development funds in the constituencies where by-polls were scheduled.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2022