30,000 jobs slashed to meet IMF conditions, minister tells Punjab Assembly – Pakistan

LAHORE: Irrigation Minister Kazim Pirzada told the Punjab Assembly during the Question Hour that the Punjab government has eliminated 30,000 posts in compliance with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions.

The session on Friday also witnessed opposition protests and heated discussions on the province’s irrigation system.

The session, chaired by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, began with a delay and immediately witnessed the opposition’s protest.

Members of the opposition entered the assembly hall holding placards and chanting slogans, prompting the speaker to request them to lower the placards, respecting the assembly’s decorum as per the decision taken in the Business Advisory Committee meeting.

The opposition honoured the speaker’s plea but boycotted the proceedings later, to protest the arrest of PTI Senator Aun Abbas Bappy.

The speaker tasked Law Minister Sohaib Bherat and Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique with wooing the opposition members back to the house.

The session mainly focused on the state of Punjab’s irrigation system, with the speaker emphasizing the plight of farmers, who are facing water shortages, urging the ministry to address the issue.

Minister Pirzada acknowledged the challenges, citing the aging canal system and economic constraints. He stated that the canal system, designed for 67 percent of the land, is currently operating below capacity as engineers have advised against its full usage due to the risk of canal breaches. The minister assured the assembly that efforts are underway to rectify the system during the current year.

Concerns were also raised regarding 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 lack of communication between the secretary and the irrigation department, highlighting the slow pace of resolving issues like the Ravi siphon.

The assembly also discussed the disposal of soil removed during canal cleaning, known as “bhal,” with the minister clarifying that it is utilised for canal bank reinforcement and by farmers, and is not sold commercially.

As far as legislative business is concerned, seven new bills were presented during the session, 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 relevant committees for review.

The session was adjourned until Monday (March 10) morning.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2025