LAHORE: Opposition members in the Punjab Assembly expressed serious concern over the government`s failure to announce wheat procurement policy for the ongoing crop season as the government said the same would be announced before harvesting next month.

Opposition MPA Waqas Mann said that wheat harvesting is about to begin but no procurement policy has been announced.

Mann demanded the government clarify whether itwill purchase wheat from farmers or not. He said harvesting will begin in south Punjab next month.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mujtaba Shuja assured the House that the government`s policy will be announced before wheat harvesting begins next month.

Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bhachar presented a booklet containing a white paper on the government`s one-year performance to Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan in the Punjab Assembly on Thursday, saying the document is aimed at informing the public about the work being done by the incumbentrulersin the province.

He said the white paper was in response to the government`s one-year report on its performance.

Speaker Khan called thepresentation of the white paper by the opposition a healthy democratic tradition.

He gave the government an opportunity to address the opposition`s objections, saying arguments, documents and debates should be considered instead of abuse. He urged the opposition to come towards positive criticism.

The opposition members protested vigorously during the assembly session. Holding banners, they raised slogans in the house and demanded the release of the PTI founder.

The speaker prohibited the opposition from hoisting placards in the house.

LAW AND ORDER: The house discussed the law and order situation in the province as members from both sides of the aisle expressed their concerns at rising weaponisation of society.

Raja Shaukat Bhatti of the treasury suggested that none other than law-enforcement personnel should be allowed to carry weapons. He also called for expelling all illegal Afghans.

PTPs Sheikh Ameer said that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman would have to be taken on board to restore normalcy to Balochistan province.Ali Imtiaz Warraich suggested holding talks with angry people in each province and bringing all political forces to a single table.

Treasury MPA Ahmed Khan Leghari eulogised the sacrifices of police and armed forces in maintaining peace in society.

Referring to a Lahore incident the other day in which some private guards tortured and shot at a man for not giving way to the vehicle of a VIP they were accompanying, he said Punjab needs to be purged of arms, particularly illegal arms, to check rise in crime graph.

Winding up the debate, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman said 90 per cent of the Katcha area has been cleared, 45 dacoits killed, 67 arrested, 51 cases filed, and 61,500 acres of land has been retrieved.

He said innovative measures were being taken on public safety as everything was being monitored with the help of Safe City project. He said CCTV cameras would be installed in 20 more districts by the year`s end.Painting a rosy picture of the economy, Mujtaba said the government would soon bring the interest rate down to single digit.