LAHORE: Federal cabinet’s decision to continue with travel ban on PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah reverberated in the Punjab Assembly on Friday, when PPP parliamentary leader Hassan Murtaza staged token boycott after a spirited and sharp attack on the decision.

The federal cabinet has set a dangerous precedent by “refusing to agree with Supreme Court’s orders”, he said, adding that which law permitted the federal government to agree or disagree with the SC. The whole cabinet has gone against the Supreme Court and tells the nation that it would see when the complete written order (of the SC) is received, he said.

Refusing to agree with treasury version that it was a federal subject, he said the federation was nothing but aggregation of federating units. If one unit is mishandled, other units cannot, and should not, sweep the matter under the carpet. “We all need to work under the constitution. If federation refuses to do so, it risks provinces also taking the same path,” he warned and walked out of the house to protest, what he called, “unlawful behaviour of the federation”.

Mian Mahmoodur Rashid, minister for housing, stood up to defend the federal decision, saying that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) held Supreme Court and law in high esteem. “At the same time, it cannot close its eyes to corruption and those who looted national wealth. The federal government may go into appeal against the decision but it would not let those who looted money off the hook and will not remove the names from the exit control list (ECL),” he said.

PML-N’s Samiullah Khan said that what the PTI was doing was sheer political revenge, not accountability. No one resists accountability, nor should one. But it has to be even-handed and not smack of political point settling.

“Why Aleema Khan is not arrested nor quizzed about her money. Why is she paying fine if no illegality occurred? She is roaming free only because her family name is Khan, not Bhutto or Sharif. Why is no one asking money trail from her?”

The debate was ragging further when the chair abruptly adjourned the house until Monday afternoon.

Earlier, the house also saw some furor when a few members said that some schools have not cut tuition fees as directed by the Supreme Court and demanded that the house committee look into the matter and ensure compliance.

“Exorbitant school fees now exceed all other expenses and cause corruption,” Gulraiz Mughal said. He was supported by a number of other members in his narrative and demand. Provincial Law Minister Raja Basharat thought that it would be better if the house properly debates the subject and forms some committee, instead of doing it instantly and randomly, and the house agreed.

The house also witnessed token boycott by reporters. They walked out when their other colleagues from the city gathered outside to protest against mass termination of their colleagues by media houses and some of PTI ministers’ misbehavior. Both the opposition and the treasury came out of the house to support the media fraternity.

The protest went on for more than an hour and the Punjab government assured full support to journalists in their professional pursuits. Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, who represented the government, reported back to the chair: “It is the heat of unemployment, which is unnerving the whole community. We have assured them all help, both on the government and the party level. We would take it up with the party leadership as well and do whatever is possible. In the house, we would bring a resolution to condemn firing of journalists. We would support our friends in the media even if they decided to launch a protest movement,” he told the house.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2019