Young blood joins Punjab Assembly fraternity with optimism
Pakistan
A number of MPAs become member of the august House of 371 for the very first time
By Hassaan Ahmed
LAHORE - It was an unusual day in the Punjab Assembly on Friday. The House met after a gap of more than one year for the inaugural session in which 321 MPAs-elect took oath.
A number of MPAs became the member of the august house of 371 for the very first time. They are young, fresh and energetic.
Having dreams in their eyes, the young lot of parliamentarians is very ambitious to do something for their constituencies.
Hassan Iqbal Buttar, in his early 30’s, became an MPA for the very first time after winning the PP-65 Gujranwala seat.
A graduate of the Government College University (GCU) Lahore, Buttar wants to do drastic reforms in the education and health sectors for his voters.
“Nadala Sandhuan is a union council in my constituency that doesn’t even have a high school,” Buttar told Dunya News after taking oath as an MPA on Friday.
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He added that the infrastructure of roads and basic health units (BHUs) were in a shambles in his constituency which earlier remained a stronghold of the PML-N for decades.
He contested the election as an independent candidate backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and later joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).
He will now sit on the opposition benches in the Punjab Assembly but he hopes that his voice will reach the corridors of power from the platform of the largest house of the province.
Rana Sikandar Hayat Khan became an MPA for the very first time from PP-183 Kasur.
Khan, an Aitchisonian who hails from an influential political family of Phoolnagar, wants to do something for the youth of his constituency.
“I’ll revive the playgrounds and cricket stadiums in my constituency,” said Khan, who has reached the assembly portals for the first time after winning election on PML-N ticket.
He added that education would also be his priority for the next five years as he would sit on the treasury benches.
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"I brought my district from 17th position to No 1 in education when I remained chairman of district council Kasur," said Khan who is also an office-bearer of the PML-N youth wing and works closely with party’s nominee for chief minister Maryam Nawaz.
الحمد للہ بطور ممبر صوبائی اسمبلی حلف اٹھالیا۔ میرا وعدہ ہے کہ اس فلور کو اپنی عوام کے مفاد اور ان سے کیے گئے وعدوں کو پورا کرنے کیلئے استعمال کروں گا۔ انشااللہ pic.twitter.com/RKdBDzQT4O
— Rana Sikandar Hayat (@RanaSikandarH) February 23, 2024
“It is very good for all of us that Maryam Nawaz will be the chief minister as she is the true representative of youth of the country,” said Khan who is in his 30’s.
Dunya News spoke to another young entrant, Tayyab Rashid Sandhu, who became an MPA for the very first time from PP-141 Sheikhupura as an independent candidate backed by the PTI.
Sandhu, a lawyer by profession, wants rule of law in the country.
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“My voters gave me the mandate to represent the constituency but it is really unfortunate that only the members of treasury benches get the development funds and opposition is ignored in our system,” said Sandhu who is in his 30’s.
“I’ll play my role in the positive legislation in this house,” he said.
