By Asim Shahzad
LAHORE, APRIL 23: A charged session of the Punjab Assembly witnessed a sharp confrontation between treasury and opposition benches over alleged gold theft in Mianwali, with the provincial Minister for Minerals announcing he would resign if evidence emerged of an FIR registered during the PTI era.
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The session, chaired by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, began after a delay of nearly three hours, continuing a pattern of late starts. The proceedings quickly turned heated when government lawmaker Ali Haider Noor Niazi accused authorities of failing to act against gold theft in Mianwali and alleged police corruption.
Responding strongly, Provincial Minister for Minerals Sher Ali Gorchani rejected the claims and issued a bold challenge. “If a single FIR was registered against gold thieves during the PTI tenure, I will resign,” he declared, adding that all legal actions against such crimes had been initiated during the tenure of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
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Opposition member Iqbal Khattak countered the minister’s statement, asserting that no such incidents occurred during the PTI government and swore to defend his claim, further intensifying the standoff.
The House also witnessed a fiery debate over the wheat procurement policy. Opposition lawmaker Rana Shahbaz launched strong criticism of the government’s handling of the issue, accusing it of failing to protect farmers’ interests. In response, provincial ministers Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman and Rana Muhammad Arshad defended government policies, stating that steps were being taken to stabilize the market and ensure fair procurement.
Meanwhile, the matter of non-implementation of goods transport laws also surfaced during the session. Provincial Transport Minister Bilal Akbar assured the House that a new Motor Vehicle Act would soon be introduced. He further announced plans to relocate truck depots outside urban areas and pledged that electric buses would be operational in every district before June 15.
In another development, government member Agha Ali Haider raised concerns over the death of buffaloes due to electrocution in canals, blaming WAPDA for negligence. He demanded compensation for affected families. The Speaker assured full support from the House and directed that a formal motion be presented.
The session, however, ended abruptly when the government failed to maintain quorum. Deputy Speaker Zaheer Iqbal Chanar subsequently adjourned proceedings until 2 pm on Monday, leaving several key issues unresolved amid ongoing political tensions.
