Lahore: DHA, Moonis Elahi dominate PA session

[LahoreEstate]

* DHA’s blocking of entry, exit points to adjacent localities questioned
* Leader of opposition says motion questioning construction of Nawaz Sharif’s palace at Jati Umra to be moved in House

By Rana Kashif

LAHORE: The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) blocking entry to adjacent localities and an alleged illegal land transfer to Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) member Chaudhry Moonis Elahi were the main topics of discussion during the Punjab Assembly (PA) session on Monday.

The session started one hour and ten minutes after its scheduled time and was chaired by Speaker Rana Iqbal Khan. A special prayer was offered for the recovery of President Asif Ali Zardari’s father, and fateha was offered for the victims of a suicide attack on a police checkpost in Mianwali.

MPA Col ® Shuja Khanzada raised a point of order and referred to a news item stating that NATO logistics would be shifted to Punjab. He said the logistics were being shifted to Attock and Hasan Abdal, adding that the move would aggravate the situation, as Attock residents had strong religious sentiments and would not allow the move.

Law Minister Rana Sanaullah responded to the point of order and said it was the Punjab government’s stance to not allow US forces the use of Pakistani land and airspace. He said the Punjab government demanded that no such decision be taken without taking them on board.

DHA: MPA Mian Naseer Ahmad questioned the DHA’s blocking of entry points to all adjacent localities. The question also inquired if the entrance points were considered to be the property of the government, and what department had given ‘no-objection certificates’ to the DHA in this regard. He said the DHA had closed 13 of the 19 entrances to adjacent localities.

Sanaullah said it was correct that the DHA had closed those entrances and the public was suffering due to the actions of the authority. He said the matter was not within the jurisdiction of the Lahore Development Authority, and should be referred to the Chief Minister’s Task Force. He said he would ask the Lahore commissioner and district coordination officer to present a report on the matter.

Opposition MPA Muhammad Yar Hiraj attempted to present a motion, but he was not allowed by the chairman. The chairman said he had announced a question and answers session and a motion could not be brought until after the session.

Opposition member Mohsin Khan Leghari requested the speaker to review his ruling granting debate time to a motion alleging that land was transferred illegally to Elahi. He quoted rules stating that a matter that was already discussed in the House could not be debated again for at least five years. When the request was not granted, the opposition members staged a walkout from the proceedings.

Nawaz’s palace: Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Zaheeruddin told reporters after the session the opposition wanted to bring a motion asking for an explanation about the construction of the residence of the Jati Umra residence of Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif.

He said the House had set a precedent for allowing old matters to be discussed, adding that they would bring a motion claiming the construction of the residence had involved expenditures to the public exchequer. He alleged that the speaker was biased and had not allowed them a chance to talk about presenting the move. He said Johar Town was the biggest housing scheme of the city and had been developed on 1,000 acres of land, while the Jati Umra palace had been built over 1,600 acres of land. He said the purchase of land by Elahi was a private matter and could not be discussed in the House.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg13_1