Tag: Punjab Assembly Speaker

  • Session delayed, middle-finger: Punjab budget session full of drama

    Session delayed, middle-finger: Punjab budget session full of drama

    A day-long drama was witnessed in the Punjab Assembly on Monday as Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi refused to conduct the session and allow the provincial budget to be presented. The Punjab Assembly’s budget session for the fiscal year 2022-23 was postponed till 1pm today. 

    Elahi demanded that the inspector general of police (IGP) first tender an apology to him and that all cases lodged against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) workers and parliamentarians be withdrawn.

    The provincial cabinet had earlier approved the Punjab government’s first budget of more than Rs3.226 trillion for the next fiscal year.

    The budget session was scheduled to begin at 2pm yesterday (June 13) but it started after several hours of delay. Once it started, the Opposition benches protested the presence of Punjab government spokesperson Attaullah Tarar in the assembly, as he is not an MPA. 

    “We will not let the budget be presented till [Chief Minister] Hamza Shehbaz is present in the House, while the inspector-general and chief secretary are sitting in the gallery,” the Opposition said.

    Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi demanded the guards escort Tarar out of the assembly and adjourned the session for 10 minutes.

    Elahi said that if Tarar was not out of the building within 10 minutes, he would adjourn the session till tomorrow.

    After the break, Tarar exited the assembly in “protest”. He also showed his middle finger before leaving the Punjab Assembly.

    He also ‘apologised’ for the incident on Twitter. “[The] speaker sent this force toward me to oust me from the house unconstitutionally. This attempt failed. I decided to leave the House in the interest of the public but as I was leaving expletives were used against me. In response, I turned to the opposition benches. If anyone was hurt by this, I am sorry. I was wrong,” he wrote.

  • Two teachers in Punjab suspended for misusing social media for political posts

    Two teachers in Punjab suspended for misusing social media for political posts

    The Punjab School Education Department (SED) has banned two teachers for violating an order prohibiting them from accessing social media networking platforms.

    Under section 6 of the PEEDA Act 2006, the department has suspended schoolteachers Umar Daraz of Government Girls Primary School 311/WB Tehsil Dunya Pur and Muhammad Waseem (PST) of Government Primary School Akhtarabad, Bahawalpur city, for “misusing social media for political posts.”

    The Punjab government had previously prohibited government personnel from accessing social media networking platforms and advised them to avoid participating in the ongoing smear campaign against state institutions and aligning with any political party.

    The Punjab School Education Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI) recently issued directives prohibiting government employees from using social media. These directives were sent to all divisional directors (elementary education) and chief executive officers of District Education Authorities (DEAs).

    The schoolteachers were warned that if they broke the rules, they would face severe consequences.

  • ‘All on same page’: Chaudhry Shujaat denies rumours of rift between brothers

    ‘All on same page’: Chaudhry Shujaat denies rumours of rift between brothers

    Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has denied all rumours that there is a rift between their party and family.

    In a statement released by the PML-Q, it said, “All political decisions were made with my consultation and I fully support them. Our family and party are on the same page, so the rumors that are circulating or are being spread are wrong.”

    “All decisions at the party or at home are made with my consultation and consent. I do not believe in explanation. I would like to say that I am considered the head of the family,” read Hussains’ statement.

    The PML-Q chief said that the term “use of money” is wrong and shouldn’t be used as educated people do not like such discussions.

    Hussain reiterated that it is inappropriate to do propaganda or manipulate facts. “Those who want to gain political advantage by propagating differences will be disappointed,” he asserted.

    “I have been told that there are differences in my family, there is no truth in this. Our family has been in politics for the last 50 years not only in Punjab but across Pakistan,” he said, vowing that all decisions are taken with his consultation.”

    On Monday, Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi was nominated for the post of the Chief Minister of Punjab. It is being speculated that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has unleashed what appeared to be the long-promised ‘trump card’ by nominating Elahi as his candidate for the provincial chief executive’s slot.

  • After 20 years of enmity, Nawaz calls Pervaiz Elahi from London

    After 20 years of enmity, Nawaz calls Pervaiz Elahi from London

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, after a gap of 22 years, seems to be heading towards mending the long-standing enmity with the Chaudhry brothers.

    Nawaz Sharif and former finance minister of PML-N Ishaq Dar called Punjab Assembly Speaker and senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi to ask about the health of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

    During the telephonic conversation, Nawaz Sharif said, “You [Pervaiz Elahi] and Shujaat Sahib must meet me whenever you come to London.”

    Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, on behalf of himself and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, congratulated Nawaz Sharif on the marriage of Maryam Nawaz’s son Junaid Safdar.

    The PML-Q is presently an ally of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Punjab.

    There have been several attempts before for a reunion between PML-N and PML-Q but none have been successful so far.