Pervaiz Elahi terms convening PA session in Aiwan-e-Iqbal 'illegal'

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi has asserted that convening provincial assembly session in Aiwan-e-Iqbal is ‘illegal’, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Political crisis in Punjab deepened as Governor Punjab Baligh Ur Rehman and speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi summoned separate sessions for presentation of budget for the next fiscal year 2022-23.

Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has summoned the budget session tomorrow (Wednesday) at 1 pm, while Governor Baligh Ur Rehman convened the session in Aiwan-e-Iqbal at 3 pm tomorrow.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Pervaiz Elahi pointed out that the provincial government was asked several times to present the budget. “The session was underway and the government was also invited to present the budget,” he added.

Elahi said that the government members were claiming that Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz will come to assembly. “They only wasted time and an attempt to hide their incompetence,” he added.

“The Governor should first contact Assembly Secretary before dismissing a session and the latter issues a gazette notification as per the rules and regulations,” the speaker said.

He noted that if the Governor wants to convene a session, he must inform the Secretary first, adding that convening a Punjab Assembly session in Aiwan-e-Iqbal is ‘illegal’ and ridiculous. Pervaiz Elahi further said that Deputy Speaker cannot preside over a session when Speaker is present.

Speaking of PML-N’s Ata Tarar, he said that women member of provincial assembly (MPAs) have requested to take action against the Punjab government spokesperson for unethical gesture. “A movement will be presented regarding unethical gestures of Ata Tarar,” he added.

Taking over the presser, MPA Raja Basharat said that there are rules and regulations to convene and dismiss a Punjab Assembly session. “The session was adjourned without an official notification,” he said.

“We were informed that the session was adjourned and another one is convened in Aiwan-e-Iqbal tomorrow at 3 pm”, Raja Basharat said, terming the tomorrow’s meeting ‘illegal’.