The Punjab Assembly on Monday passed a unanimous resolution praising the services rendered for democracy by former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and resolved to strengthen the country’s institutions. Opposition leader Raja Riaz Ahmed moved the resolution on the fourth death anniversary of slain party chairperson Benazir Bhutto.
The resolution stated that the House paid tribute to Benazir Bhutto, the first woman PM of a Muslim state. It also said she served twice as the prime minister and gave her life for the integrity and sustainability of democracy in Pakistan.
Earlier, the Punjab Assembly held a brief debate over urea and sugar cane crushing but could not continue after the House failed to meet the quorum. The quorum was pointed out by PML-Q MPA Samina Khawar Hayat when the PML-Q forward bloc member Sheikh Alla ud Din had just started his speech.
The Punjab government also remained at the centre of the opposition’s criticism for taking no practical steps for the welfare of farmers and the agricultural sector which was the back bone of the country’s economy.
PML-Q MPA Seemal Kamran voiced her concerns over the way the provincial government was handling the sector. She said: “During the tenure of the previous government, when Pervaiz Elahi was the chief minister, remarkable steps were taken for the sector. Agri-marketing was also introduced.” She added that the Punjab government was not paying any heed to controlling the black marketing or hoarding of agricultural products, causing severe losses to the farmers.
PPP MPA Syed Hassan Murtaza demanded fresh legislation be introduced and that the 1950 Act be abolished to facilitate farmers. Ehsan ul Haq Nolatia, a PPP legislator from Muzaffargarh, also pointed out major loopholes in the legislations concerning the agricultural sector.
