64 years later, govt decides to salvage the Walled City



LAHORE - The Punjab Assembly passed Walled City of Lahore Bill 2011, paving a way for the establishment of an independent authority to conserve heritage of the city.
In the last three years, the government issued only 879 scholarships and distributed only Rs 16.2 million for students from Bait ul Maal.
The House also passed five more bills on Thursday. The session started under the chair of Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal.
The Question Hour was about Auqaf and Baitul Maal departments and Minister Ehsan ud Din Qureshi responded to the questions.
He informed the House that Bait ul Maal hd provided 879 scholarships to the deserving students in last three years.
In 2008, the government issued maximum number of scholarship to 683 students worth Rs 6 million, in 2009 it gave 88 students Rs 7 million and in 2010 Rs 3.2 million.
After Question Hour, the PA also passed six bills. Interestingly, the legislators remained non-serious during passing of the bills and at one time they voted against the Treasury benches and the speaker had to repeat the question again. The members also kept talking to each other.
The quorum was also pointed out during the session and the speaker had to adjourn the session for some time. The Treasury benches completed the number of members required and the session started.
Walled City of Lahore Bill has empowered the government to establish an independent authority for conserving the heritage of Lahore. According to the Bill, the areas comprising Union Councils 27, 28, 29 and 30 Ravi Town with their boundaries as on the commencing day of the Act including the outer circumference of the Circular Road around the four unions, Minto Park and Iqbal Park would be included in the Walled City. The authority established with Walled City of Lahore Bill would be headed by Punjab CM.
The treasury benches also passed Punjab Katchi Abadis (Amendment) Bill 2012; Punjab Public Defender Service Act (Repeal) Bill 2011; Punjab Government Servants Housing Foundation (Amendments) Bill 2011; Settlement Commissioners (Validation of orders) (Repeal) Bill 2011 and Evacuee Property and Displaced Persons Law (Repeal) (Amendments) Bill 2011.
Law Minister Rana Sana Ullah also informed the House that on Friday, the PA would debate on Women Day after question hour. The speaker adjourned the session till Friday, 9am.