LAHORE: The mysterious absence of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer remained a hot topic in the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday, with members, as well as Law Minister Rana Sanaullah telling the House that no one had any idea about the governor’s whereabouts.
The Punjab Assembly proceedings started around two hours behind schedule.
Soon after the recitation from the holy Quran, MMA parliamentary leader Ali Haider Noor Niazi said on a point of order that the Punjab governor was missing since the last 24 hours and no one knew his whereabouts, so according to the constitution, PA Speaker Rana Iqbal automatically became the governor in his absence under the 18th Amendment.
He also asked the chair that under these circumstances, he had become the acting Punjab governor, so he had no authority to chair the session. Upon this, the speaker asked the law minister about Taseer’s absence, who expressed ignorance about the matter.
PML-Q Forward Block member Atta Muhammad Manika said he was worried about the absence of the Punjab governor. He said police should register an FIR in this regard. Rana Sanaullah said the governor should return to the province or at least inform someone of his whereabouts.
Meanwhile, reports of Salman Taseer’s secret foreign visit without handing over the charge to Rana Iqbal triggered a heated debate in the House. Later the House was informed by the law minister that according to latest reports, the governor was on his way to Pakistan from Dubai.
