LAHORE, Nov 21: The Punjab Assembly on Friday adopted an adjournment motion about the constitution of a National Assembly committee which will monitor the Punjab police as well as seek explanation from the department.

The adjournment motion presented by MPA Sheikh Allauddin said the NA speaker had constituted a committee to look into the law and order situation in Punjab, which would also be authorised to call explanation from the police. He contended that the constitution of such a committee would infringe on Punjab’s sovereignty.

Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal said a detailed discussion would be held on this adjournment motion on Tuesday as Monday would be ‘a bit heavy day’ for the house. The adjournment motion was not tabled officially, though the member had submitted it early in the morning. MPA Allauddin insisted that the motion should be taken up immediately as it was of an urgent nature.

Rana Iqbal said he would also personally call on the NA speaker and ask about the constitution of the committee.

MPA Riffat Sultana Dar presented a privilege motion that she had called University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Vice-Chancellor Arif Ali Zaidi to discuss a public matter, but he said he was busy and should be contacted after 10 days. She claimed that she called the VC ‘a hundred times’ thereafter, but failed to contact Mr Zaidi.

She said when she asked the VC’s PA to give her the cell number, the PA refused to do so. During this episode, she said her privilege was breached.

Responding to the motion, law minister Rana Sanaullah said: “There is no person by the name of Arif Ali Zaidi holding the office of the UAF vice-chancellor’s seat”. The speaker overlooked the motion as the mover failed to identify the person correctly.

Another MPA presented a privilege motion that an SHO did not listen to her call as she asked him to investigate a case within his official limits. She said the SHO even told her that she could not do anything against him.

Responding to the motion, Mr Sanaullah said there was an incident in which trucks loaded with valuables were taken away and looted. A similar incident took place when a truck carrying precious items worth around Rs2 million had gone missing. The police, however, arrested some suspects and the MPA had called the SHO to ‘behave correctly’.

The law minister said the matter was complicated and it should be put off for further discussion. Finally, the speaker pended the motion.