LAHORE, June 23: Fatigued by the day-long discussions on 2008-09 budget, the Punjab Assembly members on Monday got a rare relief when the chair adjourned house proceedings for the next day to provide a chance to PML-N MPAs to protest outside the assembly the disqualification of party chief Mian Nawaz Sharif.

The abrupt ending of the session also meant the period set to pass the budget had lapsed. Going by the tradition, budget has to be passed on the fourth day of discussion following concluding remarks by the finance minister.

The session was in progress when PML-N’s Mohsin Latif, on a point of order, informed the house at 6.35pm about the Lahore High Court’s decision of disqualifying Nawaz Sharif for contesting bye-lections. Following the news, panic gripped the house that forced Deputy Speaker Rana Mashood Ahmed, who was in the chair, to adjourn the proceedings at 6.40pm.

The members and some ministers proceeded to Faisal Chowk and staged a sit-in for a few minutes, causing a brief traffic jam on The Mall. They were chanting slogans against President Musharraf and the ‘PCO judges’. The legislators then converged outside the assembly building and continued their protest against the decision till dusk.

Finance Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira and the other PPP members remained present in the protest to dispel the impression that their party had anything to do with the decision.

Terming the decision a conspiracy to sabotage the democratic system in the country, Mr Kaira said his party would fully support its coalition partner.

Minorities’ Minister Kamran Michael and Food Minister Malik Nadeem said the nation had voted for Nawaz Sharif on Feb 18 and even the returning officer did not reject his nomination papers. Rana Mashood said the decision was highly regrettable and would create more problems for the people of Pakistan. He maintained that they would make the ‘PCO judges’ accountable whom he described as an extension of President Musharraf.

Soon after the legislators dispersed a group of PML-N activists who had gathered at the Faisal Chowk and blocked the road by burning tyres. During the evening session which started at 4.15pm, Sanaullah Masti Khail called for trial of the military dictators. He said: “Gen Ayub and Gen Zia should be hanged ceremonially besides all those who had facilitated the imposition of martial laws in the country.”

Haji Nasir called for a probe into the previous government’s programme ‘Parha Likha Punjab’. He said a number of schools and colleges in the hometown of former chief minister Pervaiz Elahi were without buildings, furniture and even heads.

Nargis Awan, Chaudhry Ali Asghar and Shahn Malik asked the chair to enhance budget allocation for the development of their respective constituencies. Zubia Malik was the only PML-Q legislator who attended the second session and explained about the problems the people of her constituency were facing.