Sitting on 9th April 2008

Summery of the Proceedings

9 April, 2008

Background:

      The previous Provincial Assembly of the Punjab on completion of its constitutional tenure was dissolved on 18 November 2007 by the Governor. Fresh general election to the National Assembly and the Provincial Assemblies were held on 18 February 2008 under constitution and in accordance with the Elections Order 2007. Seats of Provincial Assembly of the Punjab were previously increased from 248 to 371 comprising 297 general seats, 66 seats reserved for women and 8 seats for Non-Muslims, the elections to the general seats were held on the basis of joint electorate for Muslims and non Muslims and single member territorial constituency. Election to the seats reserved for women and Non-Muslims were held through proportional representation system of political parties lists of the candidates on the basis of the total number of general seats secured by each political party in the Provincial Assembly.

Summoning of Session:

In exercise of his powers conferred on him under Article 109 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Governor of the Punjab had summoned the first session of the Punjab Assembly for oath of members elect in term of article 65 of the constitution.

            Ch Muhammad Afzal Sahi, the out going speaker presided over the first meeting of Assembly under rule 6(2) of the rules of the procedure of Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, 1997.

Seating Arrangements for additional Members:

        The enhancement of the seats of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab from 248 to 371 necessitated the provision of more seats to accommodate additional members because the seating capacity in the main Assembly Chambers could hardly accommodate only 271 members. After the general election of 2002, with the approval of the Governor, additional seating arrangement for Members were made in the visitors gallery where the members desks and microphones were installed on the same pattern as in the main Chamber.

First Meeting:

        The first meeting of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab was summoned on 9 April, 2008 by the Governor for general oath making and election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker on 11 April, 2008.

Fattah Khani:

        All the members present offered Fattah to the departed soul of Mohterma Benazir Bhutto Shied, her Political companions, political workers and the other Muslims who had given their lives on 27 December 2007 at Rawalpindi, for the cause of Islam, and the democracy.

Announcement:

            Mr Speaker invited the Secretary Assembly to announce the schedule for the election of office of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker to be held on Friday 11 April 2008. The Secretary Assembly informed the members about the procedure for the election of Speaker and the Deputy Speaker as laid down in rule 9 & 10 of the Rule of Procedure of Provincial Assembly of the Punjab 1997.

Resolution:

        Two resolutions of general public importance, in suspension of rules were moved and passed during the sitting. First, resolution given below, was moved by Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan and the same was opposed, voted and as passed by the Assembly:-

پنجاب اسمبلی کا یہ ایوان متفقہ طور پر 18۔فروری 2008 کے عام انتخابات میں پاکستان کے عوام کے جمہوریت کے حق میں فیصلہ کن اظہار رائے کو خراج تحسین پیش کرتا ہے۔ یہ ایوان 12۔اکتوبر 1999 کے اقدام‘ جس میں ایک منتخب حکومت کے خاتمے اور آئین کی پامالی اور گزشتہ آٹھ سالہ دور آمریت میں قومی رہنمائوں میاں محمد نواز شریف‘ محترمہ بنظیر بھٹو (شہید)‘ جناب آصف علی زرداری اور میاں محمد شہباز شریف اور ان کے خاندان کی جبری جلاوطنی اور عدالتی فیصلے کے باوجود غیر آئینی و غیر قانونی ملک بدری سمیت سیاسی کارکنوں کے ساتھ روا رکھے جانے والے مظالم‘ قید و بند اور تشدد کی کارروائی کی بھرپور مذمت کرتا ہے۔

یہ ایوان عدلیہ اور میڈیا کی آزادی کیلئے دی گئی‘ قربانیوں کو خراج تحسین پیش کرتا ہے اور وکلاء‘ صحافیوں اور سول سوسائٹی کے ساتھ اظہار یک جہتی کرتا ہے اور یہ عہد کرتا ہے کہ ملک میں آزاد عدلیہ‘ آزاد میڈیا‘ قانون کی حکمرانی‘ عدم تشدد اور سیاسی رواداری کو فروغ دیا جائے گا نیز مہنگائی‘ بےروزگاری‘ قتل و غارت‘ لاقانونیت‘ اقرباء پروری‘ ظلم و زیادتی کے کلچر کو ختم کرنے اور صوبہ کی ترقی‘ خوشحالی اور قانون کی حکمرانی کیلئے بھرپور جدوجہد کی جائے گی۔

The Second resolution was moved by Raja Riaz Ahmad, MPA and was unanimously passed. The text of the resolution was as under:-

صوبہ پنجاب کا یہ نمائندہ ایوان محترمہ بینظیر بھٹو شہید کو ان کی جمہوریت کیلئے خدمات اور جان کی قربانی پر بھرپور خراج تحسین پیش کرتا ہے اور اللہ تعالیٰ سے دُعا کرتا ہے کہ ان کو جنت الفردوس میں جگہ دے اور ان کے پسماندگان کو صبر جمیل عطا فرمائے (آمین)‘ نیز یہ ایوان حکومت پنجاب سے اس امر کی سفارش کرتا ہے کہ وفاقی حکومت سے مطالبہ کیا جائے کہ شہید محترمہ بینظیر بھٹو کے المناک قتل کے اصل حقائق کو منظر عام پر لانے اور اصل قاتلوں کے چہرے بےنقاب کرنے کی غرض سے اس قتل کی تحقیقات اقوام متحدہ کے ذریعے کرائی جائیں۔

Summary of Proceedings:

The first sitting of the new Assembly was held on 9 April, 9:00 a.m. and was presided over by Ch Muhammad Afzal Sahi, the out going speaker. The meeting commenced with a recitation from the Holy Quran. All the members made oath as members, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab before the House. After oath making, the Members signed the Roll of Members in the presence of Secretary Assembly.

            As many as 352 members including all the Members-elected against the 66 seats reserved for women and 8 seats reserved for non- Muslims made oath during the sitting. The 75 women MPAs made oath, which included 9 women elected against general seats, 66 women against the seats reserved for women and from non-Muslim. The details of vacant seat is as under:-

(i)        election postponed due to death of a candidate (PP-70, 99, 141, 154, 71)

(ii)       result re-notified by the Election Commission (PP-82)

(iii)      seats vacated by MPAs who had been elected against more than one seat (PP-48, 295)

(iv)      seats vacated by MNAs who had also been elected against Provincial Seats

PP-10  Malik Abrar Ahmad

PP-59  Rana Muhammad Farooq Saeed Khan

PP-107 Ch Liqat Abbas Bhatti

PP-118 Ch Pervaiz Elahi

PP-124 Rana Abduk Sattar

PP-219 Mukhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi

PP-229 Sardar Mansab Ali Doggar

PP-243 Sardar Muhammad Saif-ud-Din Khan Khosa

PP-258 Mr Abdul Qayyum

PP-277 Mr Muhammad Akhtar Khadim alias Khadim Hussian

After oath making, the meeting was adjourned to meet on 11 April, 2008 at 9.00 a.m.