LAHORE: The PML-N has demanded that the government allow at least 50 people to meet former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in jail every Thursday.

“If not 100, at least 50 people should be allowed to meet Nawaz Sharif in the Kot Lakhpat jail every Thursday,” PML-N MPA Waris Kalu said during a budget debate in the Punjab Assembly on Friday. He criticised the Punjab government’s decision to ban the senior PML-N leaders from meeting Mr Sharif in jail (on Thursday last).

The PML-N also submitted a resolution in the House condemning the government for imposing ban on Mr Sharif’s meetings in jail. It demanded that the chief minister allow Mr Sharif’s family members and party leaders to see him in jail. The party contested the government’s claim that Mr Sharif allowed only five people to meet him in jail.

Speaking on the budget, Waris Kalu said the PML-N’s government in the past had taken loan from the IMF or the World Bank on its (government’s) conditions.

PML-N’s Zaibun Nisa said Prime Minister Imran Khan could have understood the situation of the people only if his own children were living in Pakistan. She said it was shameful that Rs3.4 million had been spent on a poetry recital in the President House.

PPP’s Ali Haider Gilani demanded that the government give Multan the status of a ‘big city’ and maintain proper sewerage system in the old city (of Multan). He said the budget was against the farmers as tax had been imposed on agriculture income.

Chaudhry Asif Majid of the PTI said this time 35pc allocation of the current budget for south Punjab had been “ring-fenced” and nobody would be able to re-appropriate the allocated funds.

PTI’s Uzma Kardar predicted that during the PTI government’s tenure the growth rate would increase up to seven per cent.

PML-N’s Rana Mannan demanded increase of at least 40pc in the salaries of the government employees. He hit out at the government for giving preference to unelected persons over the elected ones. He said the government was also giving development funds to the PTI’s lost candidates.

Pir Ashraf Rasool of the PML-N refused to sit on his seat despite repeated requests by Deputy Speaker Dost Mazari as the former wanted to speak on a point of order. Mr Rasool challenged the chair to take any action against him but he would not sit and respond to the PTI’s Abida Bibi who alleged that Murree’s forest wood had been used for the Sharifs’ residences. However, PML-N’s other lawmakers cooled him down.

Salma Sadia Taimur asked the government to take the representatives of beauty parlours into confidence before imposing tax on them.

Malik Ahmed said the allocated five minutes for each member for the budget debate was too short to register concerns.

Minister Chaudhry Zaheeruddin said Asif Ali Zardari and Shahbaz Sharif should bring their money back after selling their properties in London and Switzerland.

Meanwhile, the PPP and PML-N cut a cake to observe the birth anniversary of the late Benazir Bhutto. The politicos of both parties paid tribute to the PPP leader.

The chair adjourned the proceedings till Monday.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2019