PA rejects resolution demanding appointment of women judges

* Rejects five other resolutions with majority vote

Staff Report

LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly rejected six resolutions in the first session of the new parliamentary year on Tuesday.

Misbah Kokab, a member of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), presented a resolution to appoint women judges on tehsil and district levels to decide women issues. Kokab said that because of the non-appointment of women judges, the amended Clause 3 of the Pakistan Act of 1963 was not being implemented. She also suggested that women advocates, with eight years experience, should be appointed as Family Courts judges and after a review of their performance, their term be extended for two years and later for five years.

Objecting the resolution, Muhammad Raja, the Punjab minister for Law, said that appointing judges was the Higher Court’s jurisdiction and it was taking measures in this regard. Raja said that the assembly would ask the High Court to speed up proceedings however, immediate action in this regard was not possible.

Tanvir Ashraf, a member of the Opposition, presented a resolution to change the current method of paying retired government employees medical bills through their former departments.

Dr Waseem Akhtar, a member of the Opposition, presented a resolution to build an atomic power station in Punjab for the people’s welfare and asked the federal government for support in this regard.

Objecting to this resolution, the Finance minister said that the construction of a nuclear plant was the government’s issue because Punjab did not have the technology or funds for the construction. Muhammad Waqas, a member of the Opposition, added that a nuclear plant was not feasible because of the high cost and risk of foreign attack involved.

Mohsin Khan Leghari, a PML member, presented a resolution to establish a Degree College for girls and boys at Fort Minro in a Dera Ghazi Khan trial tehsil.

Objecting to this resolution, the Education minister said that there were currently seven schools in that region. He added that the total number of students was less than a hundred, which does not fulfil the criteria for a college.

Rana Sanullah, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz member, presented a resolution to provide houses to provincial government employees.

Objecting to this resolution, the Finance minister said that the provincial government would have to bear extra expenditures of Rs 28.43 billion and the government could not afford such non-developing expenditures.

The 18th session of the Punjab Assembly ended on Tuesday and was adjourned for an indefinite period of time.

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