Shahbaz Sharif (LOHARE) failed to appear in the assembly

The Punjab Assembly session on Monday was prorogued for an indefinite period after Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif failed to appear in the assembly and conclude the debate on the deaths from drugs provided by the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC). The opposition strongly condemned the absence of the chief minister and walked out from the House.
The Punjab Assembly session began an hour and a half behind its scheduled time at 3pm under the chairmanship of Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan. The chairman tried to start Question Hour but the opposition raised the issue of PIC and demanded the presence of the chief minister in the House.
House Opposition Leader Raja Riaz said on a point of order that the law minister had made a commitment with the House that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif would come to the Assembly and conclude the debate on the PIC issue which had started last Wednesday.
He said that Monday was the last day of the session but the CM had not come to the House to take it into confidence on the matter, which was disrespectful towards the assembly, the nation and the chairman of the House. He said that chief minister was not taking the PIC issue or the assembly seriously, so he had the right to bring a privilege motion against him.

Law Minister Rana Sanaullah responded by saying that the chief minister would conclude the debate once the opposition leader had delivered his speech on the issue. He also suggested to suspend the rules of procedure and to start debate in the House without any delay.

The opposition leader said that the law minister was using delay tactics, adding that he was ready to deliver his speech in the House if the law minister could assure that the chief minister would conclude the debate, and that the House would not be prorogued.

However, Sanaullah did not give such an assurance, and the chair clarified that the House would prorogue on Monday as per its schedule. The chair also informed that the session would be called again within the next four days, so the chief minister could conclude the debate.