MPA demands allocation of constituencies on reserved seats

Demand is made through an amendment bill submitted in Punjab Assembly

LAHORE: A woman MPA of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) sought allocation of constituencies for the MPAs on reserved seats to avoid hurdles they face in launching different development works.

This demand was made by PML-N’s Hina Pervez Butt through the Provincial Assembly of Punjab Privileges (Amendment) Bill 1972, she submitted in Punjab Assembly secretariat.

The objective of the said amendment bill is to get an independent constituency where the MPAs on reserved seats could pay visits to the educational institutions, hospitals, other departments and could also launch development works in their respective constituencies.

The content of the bill read: “whereas it is expedient to amend the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab Privileges Act 1972 (Act II of 1972) to facilitate and authorise the elected as well as members on reserved seats of the provincial assembly to inspect the jails falling within the district of his residence and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto”.

The bill sought amendment in section 18 of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab Privileges Act 1972 (Act II of 1972) mentioning that the word “constituency” be substituted with word “residence”.

How reserved seats for women are reserved for privileged

While section 18 of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab Privileges Act 1972 (Act II of 1972) says “every member of the provincial assembly of Punjab shall be authorised to inspect the jails falling within the districts of his constituency within office hours”.

Several other women MPAs expressed their gloom over not being allocated areas or constituencies for them where they could render their role freely.

They said the women MPAs had to face humiliation sometimes when people mocked them saying these were the women came into power on what they called ‘Khairaati seats’.

A woman MPA, seeking anonymity, told The Express Tribune that those women who were struggling on women empowerment had no power in the assemblies then how they could work for the empowerment of the other women empowered. Another woman MPA, expressing her sorrow, said those women who reached the assembly after contesting the election on her father, mother or some other family member’s seats were given priorities while on the other hand who came through reserved seats were not given that status or priorities despite they contributed a lot in assembly business.

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Talking to The Express Tribune Hina Pervez Butt was of the views that it was injustice the MPAs who come to the assembly on reserved seats have no constituencies. She said these MPAs be given their constituencies where they could visit and contribute for the development of the area. “They should be recognised with their constituencies and it is a very simple formula to allocate the constituencies for them. The area where a woman MPA lives should be declared their constituency.

If it was not possible then other areas be allocated to them so that they could contribute to the development of the society and people could know about their services as were rendering in the constituencies. She said women MPAs were facing gigantic problems owing to the non-allocation of areas and it is need of the hour is to fix responsibilities to the said women by allocating areas to them. She said she submitted her amendment bill in assembly for said purpose.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 29^th, 2019.