Punjab Assembly Session Adjourned Amid Low Attendance; Speaker Stresses Local Governance for Development
Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan highlights devolution of powers, SDGs, and environmental initiatives while urging integrated policies for human development
By Asim Shahzad
Lahore: The Punjab Assembly session called on government notice had to be adjourned due to lack of quorum, reflecting low interest from members in addressing the agenda. The session, chaired by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, began with a delay of one hour and nineteen minutes, with the Speaker noting concern over the short notice issued by the Governor of Punjab.
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Opposition members, including Rana Aftab and Ijaz Shafi, highlighted that many members could not attend on time due to the short notice. Despite bells being rung for five minutes to meet quorum, attendance remained insufficient, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the meeting until 11 am on Thursday, December 4.
Separately, addressing the “Punjab Parliamentarians’ Conference on Sustainable Development Goals” organized with support from the Parliamentary Development Unit (PDU), Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan emphasized that devolution of powers to local governments is crucial for effective governance and resolving public issues. He highlighted the disparities in education, health, and basic services, pointing out the significant gap in per-student expenditure between private institutions and government schools.
The Speaker praised Punjab’s “Suthra Programme” as a model for rural cleanliness and commended developmental initiatives by Chief Ministers of Punjab and Sindh. He also stressed the importance of integrated policy-making for human development, equitable resource distribution, and environmental protection. Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan further noted that chemicals and pollution threaten aquatic life and human health and urged the introduction of Artificial Intelligence in government school curriculums to keep pace with technological advancement.
He concluded that continuous dialogue and empowering local governments are essential to achieve Pakistan’s development goals, drawing comparisons to policies followed in developed countries to ensure citizen welfare.
Summary: The Punjab Assembly session was adjourned due to low attendance, with the Speaker stressing the importance of giving prior notice for meetings. In a separate event, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan highlighted local government empowerment, SDGs, education disparities, environmental initiatives, and the need for integrated policies for sustainable development.
