LAHORE: Expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of May 9, 2023, case trial, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan wondered what is taking the law-enforcers and prosecutors so long to complete the prosecution process.

“I’m of the opinion from day one that they are delaying (the process). Even the Inter Services-Public Relations (ISPR) is delaying (the action against the perpetrators). Are they finding it hard to dig out the trail of the May 9 crimes?” the speaker wondered.

He was responding to a query about ISPR Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif’s latest statement at a presser that all those involved in May 9 episode, including the Pakistan Tehrek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, involved in retired Gen Faiz Hameed case could be taken into military custody for trial.

“Were the attacks on 29 military installations possible without an organised plan? Was it a mere coincidence that the biggest national archive on the Independence Movement at the Radio Pakistan’s Peshawar station was set ablaze?” the PA speaker asked during a media interaction before the assembly session here on Friday.

Also blames ISPR for the snail-paced action against perpetrators

When asked to explain the likely reasons behind the delay in prosecution, he said it wasn’t his job to find out the reasons.

“But, what I can say is that one must not avoid speaking the truth.” He reiterated that the May 9 attacks were a conspiracy against the country, the judiciary, economy and politics as supporters of a certain political party were converted into a mob to assault the dignity and chivalry of the armed forces.

This conspiracy, he added, began in 2014 and continued till 2024 as the perpetrators have been taking refuge under fundamental rights and human rights bodies.

Recalling the audit of the results of four constituencies after the 2013 polls and the allegations of 35 punctures, Ahmed Khan said the basic dispute is between the political forces that are working to bring political and economic stability to the country, and those sabotaging the process.

When asked to comment on the PTI’s claim that 2024 is the year of fresh elections, he said that the PML-N is a political party and it is not afraid of going to the masses.

PA SESSION: In the Punjab Assembly, the treasury and the opposition benches were on the same page regarding the unrest in the riverine or Katcha area of the river Indus.

PPP MPA Mumtaz Ali Chang informed the house about the threats to his life and the property at the hands of the gangs of the Katcha area.

The opposition blamed the caretaker government’s wrong policies for the unrest, while Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman held the PTI’s Buzdar government basically responsible for the poor law and order situation of the riverine area.

The assembly proceedings began after a two-hour delay, at 11am.

During the Zero Hour, PPP’s Chang informed the house about the worst situation in the Katcha area and said that several attempts were made on his life by the gangs and that lives and property of the people in the nearby settlements were not safe there.

PTI’s Muhammad Sajid said that the responsibility for the poor law and order in the Katcha area rests with the former caretaker government and the Sindh government of the PPP.

Mujtaba Shuja told the house that the problem of the Katcha area has been persisting for the last many years and the situation worsened under the previous government in the province as well.

The speaker took notice of the issue and said that law and order in the riverine area would be discussed threadbare during the session on Monday and urged all the members to come prepared for the discussion with relevant data and statistics on the issue.

Treasury MPA Malik Amjad Ali Javed presented the privilege motion against the former health secretary Ali Jan in the house with the signatures of 70 members. Health Minister Khwaja Salman Rafiq did not oppose the motion, saying no argument could be given on the behaviour of the former secretary towards the parliamentarians.

The speaker said whether the former health secretary is on leave or not, he should be called in the house and presented before the privilege committee. After this, the motion was referred to the committee.

During the Question Hour, the treasury members continued to criticise their own government over the working of the Punjab Local Government Department.

Ahsan Raza Khan called Local Government Minister Zeshan Rafiq a liar and rejected the claims made by the department about the provision of clean water, sewerage system, streetlights, and removal of encroachments from his village, Kot Mela Ram.

The speaker tabled a resolution regarding Defence Day, which was unanimously approved by the members. The resolution paid tributes to the soldiers and officers of the Pakistan Army who sacrificed their lives in 1965 war. It said the house hoped that the armed forces would play their role for the defence of Pakistan in the future as well.

On the completion of the agenda for the day, the speaker adjourned the proceedings for Monday afternoon.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2024