LAHORE, Oct 17: Relief activities for the quake victims remained a bone of contention in the Punjab Assembly on Monday with the opposition and the treasury desperate to score points.

The opposition wanted to highlight lack of transparency in the relief work and government’s attempts to take credit for the work done by the masses on their own while the treasury sought to prove that the world was donating for the cause just because of the person of Gen Musharraf who had gained international recognition owing to his being ‘Mr Clean.’

The discussion opened when PPP’s Samiullah Khan, on a point of order, regretted that the house had not taken up the issue even for a single minute though situation in the affected areas was becoming more and more serious.

Besides seeking an hour’s discussion daily in the house, he said leaders like Nawaz Sharif, Benazir Bhutto, Qazi Husain Ahmad and Shujaat Husain should have visited the entire country riding a truck to give message of unity (for the cause) to the nation.

He also suggested a transparent way like setting up committees comprising MPs and social workers for properly utilizing $52 million foreign aid so far received for the victims.

The chair, being held by deputy speaker Shaukat Mazari at that time, observed that there was no problem in holding the debate. However, he said it should be positive so that the people engaged in the relief work were not disappointed.

He proposed that a parliamentary delegation should visit the affected areas to see more ways for helping the suffering humanity there.

PML-N’s Rana Sanaullah said society which was thought to have become dead for tolerating price hike without any protest came to life and donated in an unprecedented way for their brethren in AJK and the NWFP.

Lauding the role of armed forces in relief activities, he said the army as an institution could claim its credit but not Gen Musharraf as an army ruler.

He said devastated by the devolution plan (given by Gen Musharraf) the civil administration could not be seen anywhere facilitating either the victims or philanthropists.

The administration could not check fleecing by the truckers and shopkeepers, he added.

The provincial assembly too, he said, had failed to prepare its agenda accordingly.

The chair interrupted him by saying that the opposition was responsible for this, for it had boycotted the business advisory committee meeting.

Rana Sana said the committee’s meeting was attended by leaders of parliamentary groups while in disqualification references the speaker had challenged their (the opposition groups’ leaders) status, so how they could attend it just to protect turncoats.

Law Minister Raja Basharat lamented that the opposition could not set aside its petty differences and ego at a time of such a tragedy.

He said the opposition itself had admitted that the masses ignored its calls for protest on price hike and other issues and were seemed united under the leadership of Gen Musharraf, Shaukat Aziz and Shujaat Husain.

He said the country was infamous for corruption at the global level but now the world community was donating for the quake-hit people because of Gen Musharraf’s (clean) character.

About civil administration, he said the government was ready to take action against any DCO if there was any complaint of non-cooperation by him in the relief work.

He, however, said action against profiteers was not taken to prevent any chaos.

He said the government would facilitate any opposition or treasury member who wanted to visit the affected area or monitor relief activities at any DCO office or at the base camp in Islamabad.

Rana Sana again took the floor and said no-one had barred the government from framing a proper agenda of the house even if the opposition had boycotted the business advisory committee meeting.

When Rana Sana reiterated his list of plaints, Mr Mazari got emotional and called for constructive criticism so that the volunteers engaged in relief work did not get disappointed.

Binding his both hands, he requested both the treasury and the opposition to sit together and give proposals for improving the relief work.

The chair also led a dua for the martyrs of the tremor, seeking fortitude for their heirs and unity among ranks and file of the nation.

When the house met earlier after a two-day break on Monday morning, MMA’s Arshad Baggu drew chair’s attention towards news reports that visits of Punjab ministers along with protocol were creating hurdles in relief activities.

Communication and Works Minister Chaudhry Zaheeruddin denied the reports and said the ministers were visiting the areas as ordinary citizens.