LAHORE: The Punjab Ministers Salaries, Allowances and Privileges (Amendment) (Repeal) Bill, 2022 was once again approved by the Punjab Assembly despite opposition protests, enabling it to become law even without the governor’s signature.

The law was returned by Governor Balighur Rehman to the house for further deliberation without his signature.

As the opposition protested and demanded the Treasury review the law because it implied a lavish increase in the advantages and privileges of the cabinet members, the house “reconsidered” and passed the bill, which was proposed by Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, the spokesperson for the Punjab administration.

The house also approved the Provincial Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill, 2021, the Muttahida Ulema Board Punjab Bill, 2022, the Punjab Trust (Amendment) Bill, 2022, and the Punjab Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2022.

The University of Health Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2022; the Punjab Higher Education Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2022; and the Grand Asian University of Sialkot (Amendment) Bill, 2022; were introduced in the house, and Speaker Sibtain Khan referred them to the relevant committees for vetting and reporting to the house within two months.

On the suggestion of the lawmakers, the speaker deferred general discussion on the current political situation and price hike to the next sitting, which would be held on Dec 19, and put off the proceedings till then.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2022