Parliamentary heavyweights included in PAC
Govt motions to create two committees unanimously passed
National Assembly of Pakistan. PHOTO: APP
ISLAMABAD:
Almost all the parliamentary heavyweights, including Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif, found places in the constitution of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) by Speaker Asad Qaiser, which was unanimously approved by the National Assembly on Thursday.
The house unanimously passed a motion - tabled by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan - for the creation of PAC and Standing Committee on Law and Justice.
PAC has been constituted after the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) conceded to the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) demand of making party chief Shehbaz its chairman.
The opposition had threatened it will not join any standing committee, if their demand was not met. Earlier this month, both sides agreed that Shehbaz would head PAC, while a special committee would be created under a PTI member to audit the expenditure during the previous PML-N government.
The names of the two committees were announced on Thursday. Though the speaker retained the power to make any changes in the committee members. The committees will hold their maiden sessions to elect their chairmen.
PTI to have PAC chief from treasury
PAC comprises Syed Fakhar Iman, Nasrullah Dreshak, Akhter Mengal, Riaz Fatyana, Amir Dogar, Munaza Hassan, Noor Alam Khan, Sheraiz Mahmood, Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan, Ali Nawaz Shah, Hussain Ilahi, Ijaz Shah, Raja Riaz, Shahbaz Sharif, Khawaja Asif, Ayaz Sadiq, Rana Tanvir Hussain, Sheikh Rohail Asghar, Shahid Akhter Ali, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Syed Naveed Qamar, Syed Hussain Tariq and Hina Rabbani Khar.
The Law and Justice Committee comprises Attaullah Advocate, Lal Chand Malhi, Farooq Azam Malik, Kishwar Zehra, Maleeka Bukhari, Sanaullah Mastikhel, Ihsanullah Tiwana, Agha Hassan Baloch, Sheikh Ali Arbab, Shunila Ruth, Riaz Fatyana, Shehbaz, Rana Sanaullah, Mehmood Bashir Virk, Usman Ibrahim, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Syed Hussain Tariq, Nafeesa Shah, Syed Naveed Qamar and Aliya Kamran.
At the onset, the National Assembly set a new tradition by starting the session with national anthem. Presiding over the session in the morning, Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri congratulated the members for this new tradition.
"From now on, the national anthem will be played after the recitation of Holy Quran and Naat at the beginning of every session," he told the house. "In this regard, the house has already amended rules of procedure and conduct of business."
Taking the floor later, Opposition Leader Shehbaz said that his party was ready to extend full cooperation to the ruling party for the creation of South Punjab province and the restoration of the old Bahawalpur state as a province.
Shehbaz said his party was considering tabling a private members’ bill for the creation of South Punjab province and the restoration of Bahawalpur province. "The PTI has also promised to create South Punjab province and now it should take steps for this purpose," he told the house.
Shehbaz said the previous PML-N government in Punjab had passed resolutions in the provincial assembly for the creation of South Punjab province and restoration of Bahawalpur province, adding that his party was sincere to this cause and the treasury benches should move forward with the same spirit.
Speaking about the plight of the common man, Shehbaz voiced concern over the increasing prices of gas, electricity and daily-use items. He said that the price hike had made lives of the people difficult, urging the house to take up this issue on a priority basis.
Speaking next, PTI’s Amir Dogar said the PML-N was twisting the issue by demanding restoration of Bahawalpur province. "Is Bahawalpur province viable and how three districts could make a separate province," he asked. "A committee of the house should be constituted to look into the matter."
However, former prime minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf urged the house that there should be no point scoring on this issue because all the political parties had promised the creation of South Punjab province.
PML-Quaid-e-Azam's Bashir Cheema said that Bahawalpur had been a separate entity and it had nothing to do with South Punjab province. "We want restoration of Bahawalpur province instead of becoming part of south Punjab."
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi called for consensus on the issue of creating South Punjab province, suggesting creation of a parliamentary committee, consisting of senior leadership of all parties to look into the pros and cons of bifurcating Punjab.
"Political point scoring should be avoided over this matter," Qureshi told the house, inviting political parties to support the government in the provincial assembly, the National Assembly and the Senate to create South Punjab province.
Jamait Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s Maulana Abdul Wasay said that every move to create new provinces should be taken with great care as it could lead to more demands for creating more provinces in other federating units as well.
Almost all the parliamentary heavyweights, including Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif, found places in the constitution of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) by Speaker Asad Qaiser, which was unanimously approved by the National Assembly on Thursday.
The house unanimously passed a motion - tabled by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan - for the creation of PAC and Standing Committee on Law and Justice.
PAC has been constituted after the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) conceded to the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) demand of making party chief Shehbaz its chairman.
The opposition had threatened it will not join any standing committee, if their demand was not met. Earlier this month, both sides agreed that Shehbaz would head PAC, while a special committee would be created under a PTI member to audit the expenditure during the previous PML-N government.
The names of the two committees were announced on Thursday. Though the speaker retained the power to make any changes in the committee members. The committees will hold their maiden sessions to elect their chairmen.
PTI to have PAC chief from treasury
PAC comprises Syed Fakhar Iman, Nasrullah Dreshak, Akhter Mengal, Riaz Fatyana, Amir Dogar, Munaza Hassan, Noor Alam Khan, Sheraiz Mahmood, Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan, Ali Nawaz Shah, Hussain Ilahi, Ijaz Shah, Raja Riaz, Shahbaz Sharif, Khawaja Asif, Ayaz Sadiq, Rana Tanvir Hussain, Sheikh Rohail Asghar, Shahid Akhter Ali, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Syed Naveed Qamar, Syed Hussain Tariq and Hina Rabbani Khar.
The Law and Justice Committee comprises Attaullah Advocate, Lal Chand Malhi, Farooq Azam Malik, Kishwar Zehra, Maleeka Bukhari, Sanaullah Mastikhel, Ihsanullah Tiwana, Agha Hassan Baloch, Sheikh Ali Arbab, Shunila Ruth, Riaz Fatyana, Shehbaz, Rana Sanaullah, Mehmood Bashir Virk, Usman Ibrahim, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Syed Hussain Tariq, Nafeesa Shah, Syed Naveed Qamar and Aliya Kamran.
At the onset, the National Assembly set a new tradition by starting the session with national anthem. Presiding over the session in the morning, Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri congratulated the members for this new tradition.
"From now on, the national anthem will be played after the recitation of Holy Quran and Naat at the beginning of every session," he told the house. "In this regard, the house has already amended rules of procedure and conduct of business."
Taking the floor later, Opposition Leader Shehbaz said that his party was ready to extend full cooperation to the ruling party for the creation of South Punjab province and the restoration of the old Bahawalpur state as a province.
Shehbaz said his party was considering tabling a private members’ bill for the creation of South Punjab province and the restoration of Bahawalpur province. "The PTI has also promised to create South Punjab province and now it should take steps for this purpose," he told the house.
Shehbaz said the previous PML-N government in Punjab had passed resolutions in the provincial assembly for the creation of South Punjab province and restoration of Bahawalpur province, adding that his party was sincere to this cause and the treasury benches should move forward with the same spirit.
Speaking about the plight of the common man, Shehbaz voiced concern over the increasing prices of gas, electricity and daily-use items. He said that the price hike had made lives of the people difficult, urging the house to take up this issue on a priority basis.
Speaking next, PTI’s Amir Dogar said the PML-N was twisting the issue by demanding restoration of Bahawalpur province. "Is Bahawalpur province viable and how three districts could make a separate province," he asked. "A committee of the house should be constituted to look into the matter."
However, former prime minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf urged the house that there should be no point scoring on this issue because all the political parties had promised the creation of South Punjab province.
PML-Quaid-e-Azam's Bashir Cheema said that Bahawalpur had been a separate entity and it had nothing to do with South Punjab province. "We want restoration of Bahawalpur province instead of becoming part of south Punjab."
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi called for consensus on the issue of creating South Punjab province, suggesting creation of a parliamentary committee, consisting of senior leadership of all parties to look into the pros and cons of bifurcating Punjab.
"Political point scoring should be avoided over this matter," Qureshi told the house, inviting political parties to support the government in the provincial assembly, the National Assembly and the Senate to create South Punjab province.
Jamait Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s Maulana Abdul Wasay said that every move to create new provinces should be taken with great care as it could lead to more demands for creating more provinces in other federating units as well.