Lawmakers interpret rules to suit their needs

Treasury and opposition take vastly different views on production order

LAHORE: The treasury and opposition lawmakers seemed to interpret Punjab Assembly’s rules of procedure to suit their needs when it came to issuing production orders.

Legislators from both sides read the same section—79-A—relating to ‘Production of a member in Custody’ of “The Rules of Procedure of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab 1997”. The difference in interpretation was vast as the opposition claimed that the rules clearly allow issuing production orders. On the other hand, the treasury was concentrating on the “may” and “if” words of the mentioned section. They stated that these two words clearly gave discretionary powers to the speaker and he did not issue the production order.

Govt set to go public with data of 53 million people

“The speaker may, of his own motion or on the written request of a member in custody on the charge of a non-bailable offence, summon a member to attend a sitting or sittings of the assembly (or a committee of which he is a member), if the Speaker considers the presence of such member necessary”

Provincial law minister Raja Basharat said the rules allowed the speaker some discretionary powers and he decided not to issue the production orders. He claimed that the speaker’s ruling could not be challenged anywhere. Soon after shedding light over the legal aspects of the production order, the opposition lawmakers started creating pandemonium when the same was not issued.

PPP’s Syed Usman Mehmood also seconded the stance of the PML-N lawmakers, adding there was nothing wrong in issuing the production orders of the concerned members.

The house echoed with slogans by the opposition when provincial minister Fayazul Hassan Chohan stood up to respond Rana Mashhood Khan. Chohan’s attempt to respond opposition was foiled by the opposition at least 14 times and he was finally forced to sit down. However, Chohan believed that production orders should not be issued to “money launderers and corrupt elements”.

Rana Mashhood Khan, once again speaking on a point of order, condemned the arrest of Rana Sanaullah on charges of smuggling 15 kg of heroin. He said the government should set up a police picket at Bani Gala to stop drug smuggling.

Sindh govt out of funds to pay for registration of ambulance

Quoting the example of former senior minister Aleem Khan, he said it was unfair that the PTI man remained in the assembly session for 80 out of the 110 days despite being in NAB custody. He claimed that the gates of the jail “were opened for him at 11 pm”.

Responding, provincial law minister Raja Basharat claimed that the country’s top court gave called the PML-N a “Sicilian mafia outfit. He asserted it was the Supreme Court that had declared the party’s leaders corrupt.

Basharat continued that the house was called on the request of opposition and important public matters were to be discussed. “However, they prefer to discuss production orders of their leaders rather than public matters.”  As many as 23 questions relating to primary and secondary health, debates on price control, law and order and call to attention notices over different issues remained untouched due to the ruckus created by the opposition.

The deputy speaker prorogued the house for an indefinite time after none of the MPAs bothered to hear his instructions to maintain the assembly’s decorum.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2019.