Opposition requisitions Punjab Assembly session to discuss ‘rape of two foreigners’

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LAHORE: The opposition in the Punjab Assembly has formally submitted a requisition for an emergency assembly session to grill the provincial government over the incident in which two foreigner women were allegedly raped. The requisition presented by the Leader in the Punjab Assembly, Moeen Riaz Qureshi, alongwith Sheikh Imtiaz, Rana Shahbaz, and Farrukh Javed Moon also sought discussion on collapse of the rural economy in the province. The opposition termed the rape incident involving to foreign nationals as a critical blow that has severely tarnished the reputation of both the province and Pakistan globally. In the requisition, Qureshi declared that the provincial government has completely failed to protect citizens, pointing out an alarming surge in incidents of street crime, dacoities, murders, kidnappings and systemic violence against women, creating insecurity in the public. Also highlights collapse of rural economy and condition of imprisoned PTI leaders and workers Beyond the immediate law and order crisis, the opposition has demanded a full legislative review of worsening prison conditions and the treatment of political prisoners. Qureshi alleged severe human rights violations inside Punjab’s jails, specifically citing the lack of basic healthcare facilities. The requisition expressed serious concern regarding the health and treatment of incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, demanding he should be provided his legal rights, including family visits and immediate access to personal physicians under the prison regulations. The opposition leader called for an independent inquiry into the alleged torture of political workers and the “mysterious deaths” of several PTI activists following their release from jail and police custody. Compounding the provincial administration’s troubles, the PTI Kissan Wing launched a data-heavy assault on Punjab’s agricultural and rural policies. Marking World Rural Development Day, PTI Punjab Kissan Wing General Secretary Mian Ejaz Shafi dismissed the government’s flagship initiatives, including the Kisan Card and tube-well solarization projects, as “cosmetic publicity stunts completely detach from ground realities.” Shafi mentioned that rural poverty in Punjab spiked to 23.3 per cent in the 2024-25 fiscal year, caused allegedly by broader economic mismanagement that has pushed 27 million Pakistanis below the poverty line over the last six years. He said that rural food insecurity has climbed from 15.9pc to a staggering 24.4pc, forcing families to spend a bulk of their incomes on food while still battling extreme malnutrition. He also drew attention to a devastating public health crisis brewing in the countryside, noting that 40pc of children under five suffer from stunted growth. Shafi warned that the situation was even more critical in south Punjab, where over 46pc of children were underweight and 56pc suffered from anemia. With wheat production costs soaring to Rs4,000 per maund and official procurement mechanisms failing, Shafi mocked the government’s plan to build 2,400 “model villages” as an empty political gesture for a province that contains more than 27,000 villages, demanding structural, sustainable policy overhauls to rescue the collapsing agrarian framework. Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2026

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