- Opposition MPAs rough up guards and force way inside assembly
- Fawad Ch terms passage of 21 bills ‘expression of trust’ in CM
LAHORE: Atta Tarar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister, on Tuesday claimed that their numbers in the Punjab Assembly had been completed.
Speaking to the media, Atta Tarar said their 177 members were present in the assembly on Monday while the number of the Punjab government members was 140. “I am telling the numbers after a complete work and I am confident that our numbers will be complete while Pervaiz Elahi’s numbers will not be complete as women candidates have also been saying they do not want to vote for Pervaiz Elahi,” he said.
Mr Tarar further said Pervaiz Elahi was reluctant to take the vote of confidence and the government had run away along with Moonis Elahi. Sooner or later, the vote of confidence would have to be taken since a hollow person was sitting on the chair of the chief minister.
He further claimed that the federal ministers could not enter the Punjab Assembly. “The Punjab Assembly is not the district council of Gujrat and will not allowed to be so. The PTI and its allies are fighting over who did more corruption,” he added. Earlier, the special assistant was stopped from entering in the Punjab Assembly.
Meanwhile, the situation in the Punjab Assembly remained chaotic for the second day on Tuesday with opposition lawmakers raising slogans against Chief Minister Parvez Elahi.
Prior to the start of the session, doors of the assembly were closed and security guards remained on high alert after yesterday’s session saw ruckus as the opposition challenged CM Elahi to prove he had the requisite numbers to secure a vote of confidence.
However, PML-N lawmakers — who accused Elahi and PA Speaker Sibtain Khan of instructing police to bar their entry — were able to force their way inside.
During the session, which began after a three-hour delay, opposition lawmakers once again chanted slogans against Elahi, calling him a “dakoo” (robber) as Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and PML-N leader Ata Tarar looked on from the visitor’s gallery.
PML-N’s Mashhood, speaking on the floor of the assembly, again challenged Elahi to prove he had the requisite numbers for securing a vote of confidence.
The PA session was later adjourned till 3pm tomorrow (Wednesday).
‘PTI-PML-Q coalition has support of 188 MPAs’
On the other hand, PTI Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said the Punjab government enjoyed the support of 188 lawmakers and had proved the majority by passing 21 bills during Monday’s session.
He added that the passage of the bills was also an “expression of trust” in CM Elahi.
The PTI leader said that the government had the requisite support for the chief minister’s vote of confidence and would announce its plan of action after the LHC’s verdict on Wednesday (today). “We want to move forward as soon as possible after dissolving the Punjab and KP assemblies.”
Chaudhry alleged that MPAs from Muzaffargarh had told Imran that they were receiving calls from “unknown numbers” and being offered bribes.
Addressing Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, Chaudhry said that it was important for such matters to be investigated.
PML-N MPAs force their way inside Punjab Assembly
PML-N Lawmakers forced their way inside the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah accused Chief Minister Parvez Elahi and Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan of directing the police against entry of opposition members in the assembly.
The doors of the assembly were closed and security guards remained on high alert after yesterday’s session saw ruckus as the opposition challenged CM Elahi to prove he had the requisite numbers to secure a vote of confidence.
Footage outside the assembly on Tuesday showed PML-N MPA from Sheikhupura Peer Muhammad Ashraf Rasool and Mian Abdul Rauf clashing with police. Rasool can be seen pushing a policeman away and cursing at them as he forces his way inside the main gate. “Move back. Stop this nonsense,” an infuriated Rasool can be heard saying.
After the clash, other opposition members including Khalil Tahir Sindhu and Zeeshan Rafiq opened the PA gate and entered the premises. Meanwhile, Rangers personnel accompanied Special Assistant to Prime Minister Ataullah Tarar inside the assembly.
“Today it was said that federal ministers will not be able to enter the PA and their entry is banned,” he told reporters outside the house. “I told them that even their fathers can’t even stop me from entering [the assembly]. Earlier, Sanaullah had made similar claims, saying that Elahi had banned the entry of opposition lawmakers into the house.
Suleman holds meets Tareen
Suleman Shehbaz, son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday met Jahangir Tareen and Aun Chaudhry in Lahore. During the meeting, Suleman Shehbaz discussed with PTI dissidents – Jahangir Tareeen and Aun Chaudhry the country’s overall political situation. Matters related to the future political strategy also came under discussion. Suleman Shehbaz also gave the ‘important’ message of the prime minister to the senior politicians.
JUST IN: Suleman Shehbaz meets Jehangir Tareen in Lahore. pic.twitter.com/wwLVnLbEEa
— Shiffa Z. Yousafzai (@Shiffa_ZY) January 10, 2023
Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Aleem Khan dismissed reports of forming or joining a new political party. In a statement, the former PTI leader, who was disqualified as a lawmaker last year, said that he has good relations with Jahangir Tareen and Chaudhry Sarwar but right now he is only focused on his welfare project and had no plans to join any party.
