LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly session commenced after a fifty-minute delay on Monday, with the Panel of Chairperson, Raheela Khadim Hussain, presiding over the proceedings. The meeting quickly turned contentious as opposition members protested the absence of key government figures, leading to heated exchanges and eventual adjournment due to a lack of quorum.  

 

Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, responding to questions during the session, disclosed that 60 positions remain vacant in Toba Tek Singh district under the Finance Department. 

Moreover, he said sixteen unfilled posts in the Punjab Treasury and Accounts Service and seven under the Controller General of Accounts. The minister explained that officials from other districts are being temporarily reassigned to address the staffing gaps. He also revealed that 123 Finance Department employees have pending court cases, warning that their reinstatement could pose administrative challenges.  

 

The opposition, however, shifted focus to the conspicuous absence of ministers and parliamentary secretaries. Opposition lawmakers Rana Aftab Ahmed and Rana Shehbaz criticized the government’s lack of engagement, with Aftab declaring that the assembly was not being taken seriously and demanding an immediate adjournment. Shehbaz questioned how parliamentary queries would be addressed without ministers present, noting that only ten treasury members were in attendance. He warned of pointing out quorum deficiencies, accusing the government of neglecting legislative duties.  

 

Tensions escalated when Rana Shehbaz chanted, "Modi's friend is a traitor, a traitor!"—a remark that triggered a chaotic uproar in the house. Amid the disorder, the government tabled the Punjab Forensic Science Agency’s annual performance reports spanning 2013 to 2023.  

 

The opposition’s grievances went unaddressed, prompting lawmaker Waqas Man to formally highlight the lack of quorum. Chairperson Raheela Khadim Hussain ordered to rung the bells continuously for five minutes, but the government failed to muster the required attendance. 

The treasury benches to failed to complete the quorum. After that panel of chair adjourned the session until 2 PM on Tuesday, May 20.  

 

The repeated disruptions and failure to maintain quorum underscore growing friction between the treasury and opposition benches, raising concerns over the assembly’s ability to function effectively