The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led opposition submitted another requisition in Punjab Assembly on Monday to summon a fresh session of the House saying the opposition would not allow the treasury to escape and the ruling party would have to listen to them.
The opposition members under the leadership of PPP deputy parliamentary leader Shaukat Basra submitted the requisition with the office of the Acting Punjab Assembly Secretary Malik Aftab Maqbool Joiya on behalf of both the opposition partners – PPP and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q).
According to the PPP sources, the united opposition wanted to discuss the four point agenda – the financial mismanagement in the province, unrest prevailing in Punjab, unfair distribution of development funds among the districts and provincial government’s unfair policy regarding the Seraiki and Potohari regions. Some other public issues would also be tabled in the House, they added.
A week earlier, the PPP and PML-Q tried to prove their strength not only for having a session on their requisition but also to grill the government over certain issues but failed as the treasury successfully managed to break the quorum and survived without loss.
The PPP leadership said it was binding on the speaker to summon the session within 14 days. Basra said his party was not satisfied with the provincial government’s progress as it had failed to resolve discrimination in the distribution of development funds to opposition MPAs. He said the PPP wanted to make a strong democratic system in the country.
Basra said Shahbaz Sharif government had already showed its frustration and fear during the last session on July 22 proving it could not face the opposition as it was weak and weedy.
The previous session, also requisitioned by the opposition was chaired and later prorogued by the Deputy Speaker Rana Mushood. The date of the next Assembly session would be notified by him soon, said the sources.