Full of resentment: Opposition lawmakers stage walkout, twice

Four newly-elected MPAs take oath, K-P Arms Bill approved.

PESHAWAR: Lawmakers occupying the opposition benches staged a walkout from the assembly twice on Tuesday over being left out in the appointment of chairpersons of district development advisory committees (DDAC) and 32 parliamentary secretaries.

Additionally, four newly-elected lawmakers including Zahid Durrani, Shah Faisal, Jamshed Khan and Ahmed Khan Bahadur were sworn in by Speaker Asad Qaiser. Bahadur, who represents the Awami National Party (ANP), refused to be administered the oath in Urdu and took it in Pashto instead.

At the beginning of the session, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) parliamentary leader Syed Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha while speaking on a privileged motion drew attention towards the ban on assembly members using the government rest house. The restriction was imposed during the budget debate earlier this year.

He alleged assembly members were barred from using facilities which they are legally entitled to, while ministers continued to avail them.

Bacha asked the treasury benches to explain how the perk had been banned for members by only a speech and not an amendment in the rules. ANP parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl lawmaker Shah Hussain Khan also backed Bacha.

Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Israrullah Gandapur concurred with Bacha, saying his contention was correct as the law cannot be changed without an amendment. He then assured assembly members can utilise these perks until an amendment is made in the previous act.

The parliamentary affairs minister also said those who had stayed in such facilities should submit their payment details with the administration department and they will be reimbursed. Upon receiving the assurance from Gandapur, Bacha withdrew his motion.

Munawar Khan of the JUI-F then raised the issue of the appointment of DDAC chairpersons, stating the government left the opposition out while deciding on the appointments.

Following Munawar Khan’s speech, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout from the house and only returned after Minister for Communication and Works Yousaf Ayub, Information Minister Shah Farman and Gandapur provided reassurance.

Addressing the house later, Shah Farman said he would take this issue up with the chief minister and they would not do any injustice with the opposition.

Qaumi Watan Party lawmaker Anisa Zeb Tahirkhel raised the issue of the spread of dengue fever and criticised the government saying it had failed to take preventative measures. “The fumigation that has been carried out is inadequate and cannot control the spread of the virus,” she said.

Incidentally, Health Minister Shaukat Yousafzai was not present at the session. When the speaker inquired about other officials from the health department, they were also said to be absent. Speaker Qaiser then said he would ask the chief minister to take disciplinary action against the officials over their absence from house proceedings.

Qaiser observed the secretaries for food, health, finance, environment and zakat and ushr were also missing from the house. “I will pursue this matter,” he promised.

When the speaker questioned whether the session should be adjourned for the day because of the breakdown of the assembly air-conditioning plant, a majority of the lawmakers refused, saying they would attend the session without air-conditioning as their electorate did not even have electricity most of the time.

Following the tea break, JUI-F parliamentary leader Lutfur Rehman took the floor and raised the issue of the appointment of 32 parliamentary secretaries by the chief minister. Gandapur defended the move claiming the government had not violated any law.

However, when ANP lawmaker Sardar Hussain Babak attempted to speak on the matter, the speaker did not allow him to do so, citing a shortage of time. This infuriated the opposition and it again staged a walkout from the house.

Following the walkout, Speaker Qaiser adjourned the session till Wednesday afternoon.

During the session, the Right to Information Ordinance, 2013 was introduced in the house, while the K-P Arms Bill, 2013 was approved.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2013.