By Asim Shahzad
LAHORE: Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, has stated that the Women’s Caucus has been established to resolve women’s issues on a priority basis.
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To effectively raise women’s issues, the caucus includes representation from women belonging to all political parties.
He expressed these views while addressing a session of the Women Parliamentary Caucus at the Punjab Assembly.
Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan said that the Women’s Caucus is an exceptionally effective forum for presenting women’s perspectives.
The issues presented at this forum will be addressed through collective efforts by women. He stated that the caucus should be further strengthened and empowered to play an effective role in addressing social and legal challenges.
Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan further stated that through the platform of the Women’s Caucus, connections will be established with other provinces, particularly with the Sindh Assembly and the Azad Kashmir Assembly, so that a joint strategy may be adopted at the inter-provincial level to address women’s issues.
Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan emphasized that incidents of harassment against women are condemnable and that the caucus must work on an emergency basis to prevent such occurrences. Women in rural areas are in dire need of dignified legal assistance.
Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan said that if violence is being committed against women or their rights are being violated, the caucus must play an active role in addressing these issues.
He reiterated that Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz is paying special attention to women’s issues.
Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan stated that only when the voice of women is strengthened will they be able to attain their rights. He also referenced the unanimous decision of all political parties that under no circumstances will there be any reduction in women’s representation in Parliament.
Meanwhile, In the Punjab Assembly, there was a ruck between the Punjab Law Minister and the opposition over the opposition’s criticism of the police’s poor performance on law and order. Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan intervened and imposed a ceasefire in the house between the government and the opposition.
The Punjab Assembly session began under the chairmanship of Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan. At the very beginning, the ministers and secretaries became angry at the absence of the ministers and secretaries and adjourned the session for fifteen minutes.
The Punjab Assembly House became a fish market when the opposition criticized the police department on law and order. Opposition member Rana Aftab Ahmed said that the government and the police should leave the PTI and focus on law and order, which caused a ruckus in the house. Sohaib Bharath reprimanded the opposition. When the Deputy Speaker got emotional, Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman also came to the fray. Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan intervened and imposed a ceasefire in the house between the government and the opposition.
During the approval of bills in the Punjab Assembly session, opposition member Brigadier Mushtaq Ahmed pointed out the quorum. Deputy Speaker Zaheer Iqbal Chanar adjourned the Punjab Assembly session until 2 pm on Friday due to the quorum not being met.
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