Non issuance of Rana’s production order irks PPP members
Committee chairman says unaware of his power to summon detained MPs
Rana Sanaullah. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
Members of a National Assembly panel, belonging to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), on Monday protested against non-issuance of production order for another committee member, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Rana Sanaullah, who arrested last week in a narcotics case.
When the National Assembly’s Standing Committee for Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business started its session the PPP members asked the committee chairman Qasim Noon why Sanaullah, who is in jail custody these days, was not attending the session.
Noon told the members that the NA Speaker Asad Qaiser was currently out of the country. “The speaker is abroad and I would issue instructions with regards to production orders if I get a go ahead,” he said.
Enough evidence to prosecute Rana Sanaullah: Shahryar Afridi
PPP lawmaker Shugufta Jumani said the PML-N leader is a member of the standing committee and he must attend its sessions. “Sanaullah can be called up at the meeting if the chairman uses his powers.”
She said the chairman seems to be ignorant of the powers of his office. “The chairman of an NA committee has prerogative to call detained committee members,” she added.
The chairman said Rana Sanaullah was apparently unwilling to attend the committee sessions. Jumani, however, rejected the impression and clarified that Sanaullah had only said he would not make the request on his own. However, he would be available if called by the chair.
Air tickets
The chairman said members of the parliament are entitled to 25 air tickets which are not transferable under any circumstance and their nonuse implies waste of money as they are non-refundable as well.
Aviation authority officials said they do not have any mechanism for refund of the tickets or a way through which they could issue the same tickets to any other person. Tickets issued to a member are non-transferable.
Members of the committee said the money saved from unused tickets goes to the aviation authority. The money belongs to the parliament and the members who do not use the tickets do not derive any benefit. The chairman laid stress on the need for a mechanism through which members of the committee could be given price of unused tickets.
The members also discussed appalling condition of government hospitals in the capital. Noon said the Polyclinic was made in Islamabad when the city was much smaller. The Polyclinic continues to serve a much larger population now and there is a need to set up a multi-story hospital in the city.
The health secretary told the members that the capital administration is building a huge setup for health facilities in line with international standards and the project would be completed within two to three months. The project will ensure best facilities for citizens belonging to rural areas.
Members of a National Assembly panel, belonging to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), on Monday protested against non-issuance of production order for another committee member, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Rana Sanaullah, who arrested last week in a narcotics case.
When the National Assembly’s Standing Committee for Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business started its session the PPP members asked the committee chairman Qasim Noon why Sanaullah, who is in jail custody these days, was not attending the session.
Noon told the members that the NA Speaker Asad Qaiser was currently out of the country. “The speaker is abroad and I would issue instructions with regards to production orders if I get a go ahead,” he said.
Enough evidence to prosecute Rana Sanaullah: Shahryar Afridi
PPP lawmaker Shugufta Jumani said the PML-N leader is a member of the standing committee and he must attend its sessions. “Sanaullah can be called up at the meeting if the chairman uses his powers.”
She said the chairman seems to be ignorant of the powers of his office. “The chairman of an NA committee has prerogative to call detained committee members,” she added.
The chairman said Rana Sanaullah was apparently unwilling to attend the committee sessions. Jumani, however, rejected the impression and clarified that Sanaullah had only said he would not make the request on his own. However, he would be available if called by the chair.
Air tickets
The chairman said members of the parliament are entitled to 25 air tickets which are not transferable under any circumstance and their nonuse implies waste of money as they are non-refundable as well.
Aviation authority officials said they do not have any mechanism for refund of the tickets or a way through which they could issue the same tickets to any other person. Tickets issued to a member are non-transferable.
Members of the committee said the money saved from unused tickets goes to the aviation authority. The money belongs to the parliament and the members who do not use the tickets do not derive any benefit. The chairman laid stress on the need for a mechanism through which members of the committee could be given price of unused tickets.
The members also discussed appalling condition of government hospitals in the capital. Noon said the Polyclinic was made in Islamabad when the city was much smaller. The Polyclinic continues to serve a much larger population now and there is a need to set up a multi-story hospital in the city.
The health secretary told the members that the capital administration is building a huge setup for health facilities in line with international standards and the project would be completed within two to three months. The project will ensure best facilities for citizens belonging to rural areas.