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Ghafoor barred from PA for eight days

By Faizan Bangash

LAHORE 

PUNAB Assembly Speaker Rana Mohammed Iqbal Khan on Wednesday barred Prisons Minister Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor from attending the PA proceedings for eight days for misconduct.

Besides, opposition member Bushra Nawaz Gardezi was also denied entrance to the house for one day for displaying banner containing derogatory remarks against the leader of the house. The opposition, accepting the decision taken by the Speaker, ended the boycott of the assembly session and participated in the proceedings whereas the session was later prorogued by the Speaker.

The Speaker, in his ruling on the issue, said that in order to maintain the highest traditions in house, members of assembly were expected to observe a certain standard of conduct both inside the house as well as outside it. 

Drawing the attention of the house to rule 202 and 223 of Rules and Procedure 1997, which contained provisions about the conduct of the members in the house that ‘a member shall not make a personal charge against a member, a minister or the holder of public office, except in so far as it may be relevant in regard to the matter before the assembly and shall not use his right of speech for the purpose of wilfully and persistently obstructing the business of the assembly, utter treasonable, seditious or defamatory words or make use of offensive or un-parliamentary expression.’ 

Exercising his power conferred on him under Rule 210 of the Rules of Procedure, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab 1997, the Speaker ruled that Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor, MPA/Minister for Prisons shall absent himself from the sittings of the assembly for eight days with immediate effect and on his return to the house, he or his representative shall tender apology to the house.

About Bushra Nawaz Gardezi, the PML-Q woman legislator who displayed the banner carrying derogatory remarks against Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the Speaker ruled that the MPA shall absent herself for one day from the sitting of the assembly and on her return to the house, she or her representative would tender apology to the house. 

Soon after the Speaker finished, opposition leader Chaudhry Zaheeruddin Khan thanked the Speaker and sought apology from his side over the tension which took place on June 29. He lauded the Speaker for his decision, saying the decision would be remembered in the parliamentary history. He said the people who elected the members of the house also monitor their representatives’ attitude apart from assessing their performance, adding that sanctity of the house must be maintained at every cost.

Led by Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, the opposition members including Chaudhry Moonis Elahi, Chaudhry Sher Ali Khan, Mohsin Leghari, Samina Khawar Hayat, Mian Shafi,



Amna Ulfat, Ayesha Javed, Najaf Sial, Col (Retd) Abbas Chaudhry, Dr Samia Amjad, ended their boycott. 

PML-N Punjab president and senior parliamentarian Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, in his address on the occasion, also sought apology over the June 29 mayhem. 

Senior Minister Raja Riaz Ahmed also tendered apology for using some remarks against PML-Q legislator Mohsin Leghari. 

Earlier, a meeting was held between treasury and opposition outside the house in which the treasury urged the PML-Q leadership to end the boycott of the assmbley proceedings. 

The PML-Q side was represented by Chaudhry Zaheeruddin Khan, Chaudhry Moonis Elahi and Sher Ali Khan whereas Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, Senior Minister Raja Riaz Ahmed and Tanvir Ashraf Kaira represented the ruling coalition.