CM assures House of curbing price-hike during Ramazan

The Treasury benches, however, turned down the pleas in support of the leave application and continued to chant “No No” refusing to give assent to grant leave to Dr Arbab.

The Home Minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza suggested that since there is no consensus in the House, the consideration of Dr Arbab’s leave application be deferred till next session. Law Minister Ayaz Soomro said that if next time Dr Arbab’s application is submitted, this matter will be sorted out after consultation with Dr Zulfikar Mirza, Syed Sardar Ahmed, Shoaib Bukhari and Jam Madad Ali. Jam Madad Ali said that it was first leave application of Dr Arbab and should not be rejected.

After listening to both sides, Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza deferred leave application of Dr Arbab.

Earlier, responding to a number of points of orders raised by opposition members, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that the credit must go to PPP government which had resolved the issue of Kalabagh Dam by shelving this controversial project for good. He said the Prime Minister and Federal Water and Power minister and not an ordinary government servant, had categorically stated that the issue of Kalabagh Dam has been ended for all practical purposes for all time. This was a serious and not a small matter, he added. To emphasise his assertions on Kalabagh Dam, he said that the word Kalabagh Dam should be removed from the dictionary and from the minds of the people.

Responding to another point of order, he said that government will provide all necessary facilities to MPAs in the hostel in accordance with their privileges.

After hearing Chief Minister’s speech, Speaker adjourned the house till Friday morning.

The house, which start proceedings with Deputy Speaker Ms. Shehla Raza in the Chair about 90 minutes late, offered Fateha for renowned poet Ahmed Faraz and took up question hour.