Sugarcoated pill for new LPC members

LAHORE: Finally the long awaited oath-taking ceremony of Lahore Press Club office-bearers was held under tight security at 90-Shahrea Quaid-e-Azam on Tuesday.

Thanks to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif who spared 30 minutes of his precious time for the journalists raring to take oath from him. Earlier, the venue was to be the Alhamra Hall but was changed because of security reasons.

The LPC body was elected at the start of this year but no oath-taking took place in the seven months and now with the new elections coming up, the LPC administration decided to go for this ceremony.

The journalist community was hoping that LPC President Sarmad Bashir would get plots of land for new LPC members but once again they were given a ‘lollypop’, so to speak.

In fact, nothing was announced for the journalists by the CM although the LPC members both old and new came with the hope of hearing some good news. The Old members thought the CM would announce having their housing society vacated from the powerful land grabbers while the new members hoped for an announcement of plots for them.

LPC President Sarmad Bashir tried to make the CM his witness saying, “CM you are a witness that whenever I meet you in person I have always raise the F-block issue.” He said the CM has good news for the new members.

Some of the LPC members tried to speak on the occasion but were stopped from doing so by the LPC President who said: ‘Let the CM speak.’

The CM after narrating his personal experiences also defended his assembly for passing resolution against the media. However, in his final lines he spoke about the F-block issue. “You have made a committee and we will talk about the issue of new
members,” he said.

Later, some of the journalists were seen laughing. “I knew this is going to happen so I am not at all depressed,” said a senior member of LPC. “Roti Khao Miti Pao (Have dinner and forget everything),” remarked another journalist. – By a Citizen JPiator