The government issues Rs50,000 per annum to each NGO. PHOTO: EXPRESS
LAHORE:
Five ordinances and amendments to several laws were introduced in the Punjab Assembly on Thursday. During the session, lawmakers discussed dowry,forced prostitution and accountability of officials found misleading the House.
The House was also told that about 40 per cent of the non-government organisations that received government funds were yet to submit audit reports.
Jamaat-i-Islami’s Dr Waseem Akhtar criticised the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and called for trying the Baldia Town factory fire suspects in a military court.
Deputy Speaker Sardar Sher Ali Gorchani, who chaired the session, took stern notice of the absence of the Home Minister Col (retd) Shuja Khanzada. Several call-attention notices, which required responses from the home minister, were kept pending.
Gorchani said that Khanzada’s absence was not acceptable. Food Minister Bilal Yasin said that the home minister had a “high-profile” meeting with a Turkish delegation. “Attending the session is also a high-profile duty of utmost priority,” Gorchani remarked. He instructed Yasin to ensure that the home minister attended Monday’s session at all cost.
MQM criticised
Akhtar said that the Joint-Investigation Team report had uncovered the involvement of MQM in the Baldia Town tragedy. “Two of the people who lost their lives in the fire were from the Punjab,” he said.
Talking to The Express Tribune, he said that hundreds of people had lost their lives in the fire. “The JIT report indicts the MQM. I demand that the MQM be banned and its members be tried in a military court for this crime. It is a terrorist organisation. It should be banned,” he said.
Ordinances
An ordinance pertaining to regulation and control of the use of sound systems in the province was introduced.
Anyone found contravening the law is proposed to be punished with imprisonment up to six months and fined from Rs25, 000 to Rs100,000. It was referred to the Standing Committee on Home Affairs with instructions to report in two months.The Punjab Social Protection Authority Ordinance 2015, calling for the establishment of the authority, was also introduced. It calls for the establishment of a 15-member body, headed by the chief minister.
Amendments in the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1960, the Punjab Criminal Prosecution Service (Constitution Functions and Powers) Act 2006 and the Lahore Arts Council Ordinance 2002 were also introduced.
Questions
Responding to questions regarding Social Welfare and Baitul Maal, Parliamentary Secretary Muhammad Ilyas Ansari said that 7,500 non-government organisations (NGOs) were being funded by the government. “Almost 60 per cent NGOs have delivered their audit reports.
The government issues Rs50,000 per annum to each NGO,” he said.
Akhtar asked the parliamentary secretary regarding the action taken against NGOs who had failed to comply with the government instructions. Ansari said that there was a procedure to initiate an inquiry against any such NGO.
MPA Malik Ahmad Khan said that beggars’ homes, established for homeless street children and women, should be renamed rehabilitation centres. The parliamentary secretary said that the government had no objection to the suggestion.
Women lawmakers took up the issue of the requirement of nikhanama to get jahaiz (dowry) fund grant from the Social Welfare Department. The parliamentary secretary said that this was done to ensure no fraudulent claims were made.
He said some people forged weddings to get the grants. “We are working on improving the checks and balances to make it efficient and transparent,” he said.
Nighat Sheikh inquired whether the government was working on introducing legislation to eliminate the practice of dowry. The secretary replied in the negative.
Sheikh Alauddin requested the speaker to form a committee to investigate reports that Pakistani women smuggled abroad were being forced into prostitution.
“Women are taken mainly to Middle Eastern countries,” he said.
The MPA demanded to know why women were being exploited if the Social Welfare Department was working for their welfare. “We must stop exploitation of women,” he said. The House praised Alauddin’s proposal. Gorchani asked him to discuss it further with him.
Speaking at an adjournment motion, Khadija Umar pointed to the death of a young girl in a shopping mall. “Building laws should be strictly enforced,” she said.
Ehsan Riaz Fatayana continued questioning the authenticity of the answers provided by various departments. Gorchani assured the MPA that action would be taken if any discrepancy was found.
The session will resume on Friday morning at 9am.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 13th, 2015.
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