In response, Parliamentary Secretary Hassan Askari Sheikh clarified that the boundary wall of Allama Iqbal Industrial City has been completed, while infrastructure development is ongoing. He stated that amendments to labor colony regulations now allow industries in Faisalabad to provide housing for workers, with 14.5 acres of land allocated for a labor colony in FEDMIC.  

 

Sheikh further revealed that Punjab hosts 14 motorcycle and automobile manufacturing plants across Lahore, Kasur, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Faisalabad, and Bahawalpur, producing 633,260 motorcycles and 54,000 cars annually. While production was affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, the government facilitated industrialists through tax exemptions and import duty concessions in Special Economic Zones (SEZs).  

 

Sheikh added that the Punjab government has simplified business operations by issuing 156 permits, registrations, licenses, certificates, and approvals across 26 departments. Additionally, 18 SEZs have been established, offering industrialists a ten-year tax holiday. He emphasized that utility connection processes in industrial and economic zones are being streamlined to accelerate industrial growth.  

 

Amjad Ali Javed criticized provincial health for failing to address the ongoing protest by the Grand Health Alliance, which has been staging a sit-in outsidethe Punjab Assembly for the last ten year's. Javed expressed frustration that the minister has yet to present a clear stance in parliament regarding the situation.  

 

The Punjab Assembly session started after one hour fourty two minutes delay.

 

The Punjab Assembly session, presided over by Deputy Speaker Zahir Iqbal Channar, commenced after a delay of one hour and 42 minutes. During the session, the Deputy Speaker emphasized the need to acknowledge whether a meeting was supposed to take place or not, stating that the Speaker had empowered each member. He further clarified that there was no disagreement regarding the appointment of the PAC chairman.  

 

Deputy Speaker Channar also remarked that if officers of Punjab are summoned at will, the public is watching, and he highlighted the role of Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan in this matter. Additionally, he stressed that the camps of the Grand Health Alliance should not be dismantled.  

 

Meanwhile, the opposition made a forceful entry into the Punjab Assembly, chanting slogans loudly and holding portraits of PTI’s founder. Despite repeated instructions from the Deputy Speaker urging them to take their seats, the opposition members continued their protest inside the house.

 

Opposition Leader Malik Ahmed Khan Bachhar, slams Government in Punjab Assembly, Calls Adiala Jail Incidents a "Slap on the Face of Democracy.

Bachhar launched a scathing critique against the government during the Punjab Assembly session on Saturday, condemning its policies, the treatment of political workers and doctors, and the recent events outside Adiala Jail. He stated, “What happened outside Adiala Jail yesterday is a slap on the face of the judiciary.” Bhachar denounced the crackdown on doctors protesting outside the assembly, asserting, “We are not just criticizing; we stand with these doctors whom the government is rendering unemployed.”  

 

He lambasted the “arbitrary” arrest procedures, questioning, “If Adiala Jail is not under the Punjab government’s control, who issued the arrest orders? We were forced into prisoner vans, and despite the Supreme Court’s larger bench order, obstacles were created to prevent a meeting with PTI’s founder.” He added, “Khan’s sisters were stopped two kilometers from the jail and made to wait for two hours – the kind of treatment reserved for Mossad or RAW terrorists.”  

 

Bachhar accused the government of “harassing defenseless women” and denying political prisoners visitation rights. 

 

Provincial Minister Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman assured the Punjab Assembly that a committee has been formed at the health department and government level to resolve issues related to the Grand Health Alliance. During his address, he claimed that the PTI had secured a two-thirds majority in the 2018 elections, but the "Bani" was made prime minister through electoral fraud, despite PML-N’s majority in Punjab. He also recalled how Usman Buzdar was allegedly "poached" from the PML-N to join PTI and criticized the use of Jahangir Tareen’s private jet to recruit people into PTI.  

 

Rehman accused the previous PTI government of subjecting opposition leaders to political victimization, stating that Shehbaz Sharif was jailed for 1.5 years in "false cases" and mistreated in custody. He alleged that prisoner number 804 (a reference to Shehbaz Sharif) was surveilled via cameras to "psychologically torture" PML-N leadership. He further claimed that Maryam Nawaz was targeted with fabricated cases, her meetings with her jailed father were humiliatingly monitored, and cameras were installed in her NAB cell. He also accused the PTI of framing Rana Sanaullah in a "fake heroin case" and demolishing PML-N leaders’ homes while sparing their own.  

 

Discussing the budget, Rehman emphasized that Punjab’s budget reflects the province’s economic growth, with over PKR 5000 billion allocated. He highlighted health initiatives such as the Maryam Nawaz Health Clinics, the under-construction Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital and the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology.

 he In a session of the Punjab Assembly, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) member and provincial lawmaker Mumtaz Chang launched a sharp critique against his own allied government, demanding condemnation of the alleged mistreatment of the opposition leader. During his address, Chang remarked, “Some are sitting with Form 47 and with compromises,” clarifying that he belongs to “those with Form 45” and claimed victory over the PML-N and PTI to reach the assembly. He emphasized the PPP’s sacrifices to “save democracy,” including enduring imprisonments and offering lives.  

 

Government member Neelam Jabbar endorsed the Grand Health Alliance’s demands, stressing, “Their rights should be granted.” She urged unity, stating, “Do not project division among us, and called for strengthening the coalition.  

Meanwhile, speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, while addressing the closing ceremony of the 5th International Conference on Management Sciences held at Lahore Garrison University as the Chief Guest, emphasized that AI technology is the need of the hour and that we must define our success agenda. He stressed that if we do not incorporate AI into our lives, we will lag behind the rest of the world.

Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan questioned how we plan to integrate AI in our country and warned that recent research shows humanity has often created technologies that it later failed to control. He noted that history bears witness to past civilizations being destroyed due to their inventions.

Speaking on the inclusion of technology in the legislative process, he pointed out that our honorable assembly members, who are responsible for lawmaking, are unaware of AI technology. He emphasized the need to raise awareness about AI and acknowledged that Pakistan faces numerous challenges regarding AI. He clearly stated that machines cannot be allowed to assume leadership roles.

Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan further urged that the government, political parties, institutions, judiciary, and military must all shift their focus toward rural areas. He expressed his gratitude to the current government for directing development efforts toward villages.

Discussing youth, the Speaker said that although the youth form the majority of our population, there is no one making policies for them. If the education budget has been reduced from ten percent to three percent, it must be raised to at least five percent. He stressed the importance of training the youth, stating that he does not want students to be holding petrol bombs or sticks. Sixty percent of the youth using smartphones are educated and skilled in AI. He suggested that if the government channels these young individuals toward AI, they can take charge of innovation and planning.

He appealed to the government and policymakers to wake up to the importance of AI and urged everyone to come together and create a legal framework and policy regarding AI.

Speaking on social attitudes, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan expressed his strong opposition to child marriages, stating that he is not afraid of any fatwa in this regard.

During his address, the Speaker also invited university students to visit the Punjab Assembly.

On this occasion, the Vice Chancellor of Garrison University remarked that we have witnessed how modern technology evolves over time. Highlighting the creative potential of students, he said that innovation among students has declined and needs to be revived.