Opposition in Punjab Assembly lashed out at Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and provincial government for not controlling deadly dengue fever epidemic and declared that the provincial set up was incapable of combating challenges.
The legislators from opposition benches during the Friday session blasted Shahbaz over his statement about calling the Pak Army to combat dengue, terming it a non-serious attitude.
PML-Q’s parliamentary leader in the house Ch Zaheeruddin highlighted the news regarding the strike of the employees of the city district government and their refusal to ensure fumigation in the city. He also called for appointment of a health minister with full authority.
Azma Bukhari of PPP criticised asked Shahbaz to avoid making a serious issue a joke. She said the canons of General Kayani would not come to his rescue.
Deputy parliamentary leader of the PPP in the assembly Shaukat Mehmood Basra also joined his colleagues on which Speaker Rana Iqbal suggested the opposition not to take the statement seriously.
It was another show of public representatives’ lacklustre response to the problems confronting the masses as only 16 lawmakers were present in the house. When the session was started, no one minister was present in the house and Speaker saved the government from an embarrassment after declaring the pray-break after which all the ministers attended the session.
The house also took up the privilege and adjournment motions of different legislators. Although, an open debate on the law and order situation in the province was also included in the agenda, but the absence of the Opposition Leader Raja Riaz and Ch Zaheeruddin forced the deferment of the item.
PPP’s legislator Dr Akhtar Malik raised the issue of vacant post of vice-chancellor in Bahauddin Zakariya University on which Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah told the house that the Punjab government had recommended a name for the slot and forwarded it to Governor Sardar Latif Khosa but he was not in a mood to appoint the person. He informed the house that Supreme Court had also taken notice of the issue.