During the Question Hour in the Punjab Assembly, Irrigation Minister Kazim Pirzada announced that the Punjab government has abolished 30,000 positions to comply with International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions.
Friday’s session, chaired by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, saw opposition protests and intense discussions regarding the province’s irrigation system. The session began late, with opposition members entering the assembly hall holding placards and chanting slogans. The speaker urged them to lower the placards in accordance with assembly decorum, as agreed upon in the Business Advisory Committee meeting. While the opposition complied, they later boycotted the session in protest against the arrest of PTI Senator Aun Abbas Bappy.
To mediate the situation, the speaker assigned Law Minister Sohaib Bherat and Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique the task of persuading opposition members to return to the session.
The primary focus of the proceedings was Punjab’s irrigation system, with the speaker stressing the difficulties faced by farmers due to water shortages and urging the ministry to take corrective action. Minister Pirzada acknowledged the challenges, attributing them to the aging canal infrastructure and financial limitations. He explained that although the canal system was designed to irrigate 67% of the land, engineers have restricted its full usage due to the risk of breaches. He assured the assembly that steps are being taken to improve the system this year.
Concerns were also raised about ongoing drainage projects, with government member Amjad Ali Javed questioning the efficiency and necessity of certain projects, particularly in Jhang and Toba Tek Singh districts.
The speaker criticized the slow resolution of issues such as the Ravi siphon, pointing to a lack of communication between the irrigation department and the secretary.
The session also addressed the disposal of soil removed during canal cleaning, known as “bhal.” The minister clarified that the soil is primarily used for reinforcing canal banks and by farmers, rather than being sold commercially.
On the legislative front, seven new bills were introduced, including the Punjab Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, Punjab Local Government Bill 2025, and Punjab Narcotic Substances Control Bill 2025. All bills were referred to the relevant committees for further review.
The session was adjourned until Monday, March 10.
