Opposition cries foul as PPP delays formation of standing committees

The committees are meant to keep a check on the government’s spending and legislation

KARACHI: Despite the passage of two and a half months, the provincial government has not formed a public accounts committee (PAC) or standing committees in the province. The committees are meant to keep an eye on public money being spent by the government, examine the legislation and discuss budget proposals for development schemes.

The opposition parties in Sindh Assembly have expressed reservations over the delay in forming the committees. According to the rules of procedure, the government has to form around 34 standing committees and one PAC and appoint its chairpersons and members soon after the general election. "Standing committees are the mechanism through which any provincial assembly exercises its essential role of checking executive authority. Unfortunately, PPP has a poor history of acting upon the democratic credentials it claims," said Barrister Hasnain Mirza, parliamentary leader of Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA). "We, the opposition parties, demand that the provincial government take decisive action to strengthen democracy, by forming committees without any delay and the chairmanship of committees be distributed as pro rata [proportional] of each party's parliamentary strength."

According to the Charter of Democracy (CoD) signed by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) in 2006, the coveted post of PAC chairperson should go to leaders of opposition in national and provincial assemblies. The idea was envisaged as a mechanism to hold government officials accountable. It was implemented only in the National Assembly when Chaudhary Nisar of PML-N and PPP's Khursheed Shah were given the coveted position in 2008 and 2013, respectively. But unfortunately, PPP never lived up to its commitment to give the slot to opposition in provincial assembly. "In the last two consecutive terms, PPP inducted its own MPAs Sardar Jam Tamachi Unar and Saleem Raza Jalbani who miserably failed to achieve tangible results. The ruling party representatives can't hold the government accountable. Rather, they will appease their own ministers and bureaucrats. This job should be given to opposition who can act as watchdog," said Kanwar Naveed Jameel, parliamentary leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement - Pakistan (MQM-P) in Sindh Assembly.

Briefing about the formation of the committees, Sindh Assembly Secretary GM Umer Farooq said that each committee shall consist of eleven members that will be elected by the assembly. He added that the minister of the concerned department and secretary shall be ex-officio members.

"The members of the committees are elected in consultation with leader of the house and opposition leader. Later, the committee members have to elect their chairpersons," said the secretary, adding that in the last ten years, the chairpersons and members of the committees were appointed in consultation with treasury and opposition leaders. "We are ready to notify whenever the government and the opposition evolve a consensus on it," he said.

Realising the delay on the part of government, opposition leader in Sindh Assembly, Syed Firdous Shamim Naqvi, wrote to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on the issue. "Further to our meeting, I would like to request you to discuss and decide the membership of the standing committees," he said, suggesting that 40% of the committees or up to 17 committees of the total be chaired by opposition members.  "I would be obliged if you can give time to form these committees," his letter to the CM reads.



Non-Muslim Welfare Committee

Though standing committees and PAC have not yet been formed, the provincial government has constituted a Non-Muslim Welfare Committee in which the PPP has given representation to its own members. According to a notification issued by the minority affairs department, the committee will comprise around 20 members and will be headed by Minority Affairs Department Minister Hari Ram Kishori Lal.

The government's decision has irked the opposition who have protested on this issue. "Why have only government members been inducted in the committee? Why not members from opposition?" questioned Nand Kumar Goklani, adding that they would raise this issue in the assembly. "The opposition leader has also written a letter to the Chief Minister on this issue requesting to give representation to opposition members in the committee," he added.



However, Dr Khatumal Jewan, PPP MPA and Chief Minister's advisor on human rights, defending the government's initiative said, "Non-Muslim Welfare Committee is aimed at resolving minorities' issues. We have nominated members from Hindu, Christian, Sikh and even Parsi communities. It's purely government's prerogative, the opposition members are making it political." He added that the formation of standing committees and PAC was in process and opposition would be given their share as per their strength in the assembly.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st, 2018.