LAHORE: Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid’s statement that people should get ‘vaccinated themselves against Covid-19 at their own risk’ provided fodder to the opposition and the treasury and both sides grilled her for ‘creating confusion on the issue’.

In Tuesday’s session, which again started over two hours late, Saeed Akbar Niwani of the PTI was first to wonder: “If the (Punjab) government cannot guarantee safety of the vaccines, why is it importing it? The health minister is creating confusion and the government would be held responsible if anything goes wrong”.

Samiullah Khan of the PML-N was the next to fire a salvo.

“The provincial health minister sounded totally non-serious when she said that people could get vaccine shots at their own risk. Instead of giving people confidence, the minister was generating fears and her statement creating concerns among people – and that too at this critical juncture.”

Both the legislators sought an explanation from the government for clearing the confusion.

The House took up Question Hour on agriculture but could only take up three questions because movers of the questions did not bother to attend the session.

Former speaker Rana Iqbal felt remorse as the federal government did not take a resolution by the House seriously and did not fix wheat price at Rs2,000 per maund as recommended by the resolution.

The minister, Jehania Gerdaizi, told the House that the resolution had been sent to the (federal) Law Division and the response would be shared with the House.

Shazia Abid of the PPP created some ripples when she stood up to tell the House that flour had gone missing in her constituency.

“Pakistan is an agricultural country but still the people have to make long queues in my constituency to buy flour. This is a condemnable situation and the government must take note of it,” she asked the chair, occupied by Mian Shafi – one of the panel of chairmen, who presided over the House if both Speaker and his deputy are absent.

The House also took up and unanimously passed a resolution condemning the Indian government and its Hindutva brigade’s excesses on the minorities, including Dalits, Muslims and the farmers. Ramaish Singh Arora moved the resolution.

The House congratulated the Pakistan Army for being included in the top 10 most powerful armies around the world. Moved by Uzma Kardar of the PTI, the resolution praised the army for effectively defending the country and foiling all conspiracies of the enemies.

Momina Waheed of the PTI brought up the issues faced by the transgender community who, she said, was facing gross discrimination in the province. The community was not getting its due quota in the provincial jobs, the resolution read.

The House accepted the resolution and recommended ensuring due share of the community.

The chair later prorogued the House as it completed agenda for the day.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2021