The Punjab Assembly passed a resolution for establishing a Drug Regulatory Authority on Wednesday while the Opposition kept criticising Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for not attending the PA session to discuss the deaths caused due to Punjab Institute of Cardiology’s spurious drugs.
The PA session started with a delay of two hours with Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal in the chair. The Opposition kept criticising the CM for not taking the PA seriously and for delaying the passage of resolution in favour of Drug Regulatory Authority while the Treasury benches defended the CM saying that he was doing all that was necessary for the welfare of the province.
Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan moved the resolution. However, Opposition Leader Raja Riaz, over a point of order, said the Opposition was not against the resolution but it had its qualms over the performance of the Punjab government. He said all the three provinces had passed the resolution, asking of the federal government to establish a DRA a year ago and the Punjab government had been delaying the move for no reason. He warned that if the culprits in the PIC spurious drugs case were not held, the Opposition would not allow the PA to carry on its proceedings. “The incompetence of the ‘Superman CM’ has been exposed and the PA is passing this resolution after a year,” Riaz said, adding “Punjab government has got the control of the Sheikh Zayed Hospital (SZH) like it wanted and they made the people suffer to get their way.”
“We called the session to pass the resolution within 24 hours of being given the control of the SZH,” Sana said, adding “Why did the federal government take so long to hand it over?”
Opposition Member Zulfiqar Gondal said the CM had promised to show up at the PA session but he had not come, adding “We will not let the session continue if funds are not issued and the CM does not come to the House.”
Treasury Member Rana Muhammad Afzal tried to defend the CM, saying that the Opposition was criticising the government without any reason. Riaz said it was promised that each member would be issued Rs 8 million for their constituency but the government had not kept its promise. The Opposition raised the slogans of ‘shame’ while Sana tried to present the Punjab Bank (Amendment) Bill but Riaz pointed to the lack of quorum and the session was adjourned.
