LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution condemning the attack on Jaffar Express and eulogising successful operation by the security forces to eliminate the terrorists.

The resolution tabled by PML-N’s Umza Kardar said the brave security forces, including soldiers of the army, air force, FC and SSG, laid down their lives to rescue passengers of the train and killed 33 terrorists.

It said that the entire nation is united and expresses its heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families of the martyrs in the tragedy. The house pays tribute to the four soldiers of the FC who laid their lives in the attack.

Earlier, the issue of lawlessness in the riverine area of Rahim Yar Khan again reverberated in the house as PTI MPA Asad Mahmood said that the parents of the three boys kidnapped from the town were being asked by the kidnappers to pay up to Rs20 to Rs20 million each for the safe return of their near and dear ones.

He asserted that if PML-N and PPP leaders of his constituency took interest in the issue, it could be resolved easily.

Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan said that PPP MPA Mumtaz Chang had been raising this issue and the inspector-general of Punjab had been approached in this regard.

He asserted that the lawlessness had been caused by unemployment and setting up a cadet college, initiating development work or a large investment in the area could resolve the problem.

Speaker Khan stressed the significance of adjournment motions in addressing public issues. He stated that these motions are the “backbone” of parliamentary proceedings and urged members to ensure their effectiveness.

He emphasized that adjournment motions should focus on critical public concerns and highlighted that in the past, the government was compelled to act on these motions, leading to policy changes in areas like education and religious harmony.

He called upon members to present motions with due consideration of their importance and to avoid frivolous submissions.

Speaker Khan expressed concern over the government’s lack of responsiveness, noting that many cabinet members were not showing sufficient interest in addressing these motions.

He criticized the delay in responses to adjournment motions, revealing that replies to 180 motions were outstanding for periods ranging from eight months to a year.

To ensure accountability, he announced that pending motions would be referred to standing committees, where ministers would be required to provide answers.

He said that copies of adjournment motions would be sent to members through hostel services. He gave the ruling that ministers and parliamentary secretaries are required to be present during sessions when their responses to adjournment motions are due.

Punjab Law Minister Sohaib Bharath proposed using digital platforms like WhatsApp to expedite the response process, a suggestion that Speaker Khan supported.

The speaker also disclosed that 44 government and opposition members had expressed reservations about the privatization of government hospitals. He advocated for the protection of government employees’ jobs and the exclusion of private contractors from the privatization process.

The opposition PTI opposed the establishment of authorities when the Sahulat Bazar Authority Bill 2025 was put before the house for passage.

MPA Imtiaz Sheikh said that there were already 15 authorities working in the province and termed the trend suppression of freedoms.

Ismael Chaudhry, another PTI lawmaker, said that the elite would be facilitated through the Sahulat Bazaars and commoners would get only decayed and stale fruits and vegetables from these so-called cheap markets.

The house, however, passed the bill along with the Punjab Public-Private Partnership Bill 2025, the Punjab Forensic Science Authority 2025, the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2025, and the Notaries (Amendment) Bill 2025.

Later, the house was prorogued for an indefinite period.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2025