Punjab Assembly Intensifies Scrutiny of Tourism Department's Operations
In a heated session of the Punjab Assembly on Friday, the performance of the Punjab Tourism Department faced severe criticism from legislators across party lines. Members from both the treasury and opposition benches grilled Parliamentary Secretary Arif Iqbal, expressing dissatisfaction with what they termed as inadequate and unsatisfactory replies to queries about the department's functioning.
Question Hour Highlights Discrepancies and Incompetence
During the Question Hour, lawmakers voiced their displeasure over Arif Iqbal's inability to provide clear data and convincing explanations on critical issues. These included tourism promotion strategies, utilization of allocated funds, ongoing projects, and future planning initiatives. Legislators repeatedly pointed out discrepancies in the responses, accusing the department of poor coordination and weak oversight mechanisms.
Ruling party legislator Amjad Ali Javed questioned the procedure for declaring buildings as heritage sites, remarking that if authorities themselves were unaware of the process, it reflected utter incompetence. He accused the bureaucracy and the department of making a mockery of governance, highlighting a lack of transparency.
Contradictory Claims and Revenue Concerns
Contradictory claims by the parliamentary secretary regarding budget allocations for tourist sites, such as Murree and Mari, further angered lawmakers. PML-N MPA Bilal Yasin demanded details on individuals who had allegedly occupied properties for decades and questioned why, despite vast potential, tourism revenue stood at only Rs 10 million. This raised concerns about inefficiency and missed opportunities in the sector.
Speaker's Strong Reprimand and House Action
Speaker Malik Mohammad Ahmad Khan strongly reprimanded the parliamentary secretary for misleading the House, particularly over claims of a tourism resort in Kot Mithan. "I personally know there is no resort there," the Speaker said, describing the site as a "haunted bungalow" with no staff present. Expressing severe displeasure, he noted that Arif Iqbal had come unprepared and the department had failed to provide accurate briefings.
The Speaker highlighted contradictory positions taken in different answers and warned that all statements formed part of the official record. Calling the situation "a grave injustice to the Assembly," he announced that all questions related to the department would be kept pending, stating that not a single query had been answered satisfactorily. He directed that fresh, detailed replies be sought from the concerned secretary, stressing that misleading the House and wasting its time would not be tolerated.
Bipartisan Pressure and Accountability
Notably, the panel of chairpersons, Raja Shaukat Bhatti, joined lawmakers from across the aisle in holding Parliamentary Secretary Arif Iqbal accountable on the floor of the House. The chair allowed supplementary questions beyond the usual scope and urged the parliamentary secretary to furnish precise and factual information, reflecting rare bipartisan pressure on a government representative.
Opposition members argued that the tourism sector, despite its vast potential, continued to suffer due to inefficiency and lack of vision. Treasury lawmakers also voiced concern that incomplete answers undermined the credibility of the government's claims about improving tourism infrastructure and services.
Transparency and Future Directions
The chair observed that the Assembly had the right to seek transparency and reminded the parliamentary secretary that misleading or vague replies were unacceptable. He directed the department to submit detailed written answers and relevant records in subsequent sessions, emphasizing the need for accountability and improved governance.
Additional Criticism on Unrelated Incident
The session also echoed strong criticism from Chief Whip Rana Shehbaz, who raised the tragic incident of a woman and a child falling into an uncovered manhole near Data Darbar. He told the House that a family from Shorkot had come to Lahore to pay respects when the accident occurred, alleging that police later detained another family member and attempted to extract a statement of their choosing.
Rana Shehbaz said it was deeply unfortunate that government ministers, while sitting in the Assembly, were declaring the incident "fake news." He further criticized attempts to shift blame by registering a case against a clerk and a lower-grade employee, warning that real responsibility lay higher up. "If the deputy commissioner or senior district officials are responsible, they must be brought before the law," he said, cautioning against suppressing the matter through compensation from the Bait-ul-Maal.
