Punjab MPAs’ ignorance over ‘disowned bill’ raises eyebrows

Two provincial ministers, PAC chairman criticise draft

LAHORE:

Members of the Punjab Assembly, including some ministers, have admitted their ignorance regarding objections being raised over a bill passed unanimously, raising questions about the performance of lawmakers from both the treasury and opposition benches.

Two provincial ministers, Hussain Jahanian Gardezi and Hasnain Bahadur Dreshak, and Chairman Public Accounts Committee Syed Yawar Bukhari were also among those who objected to the bill. Provincial Minister for Professional Development Hussain Jahanian Gardezi said the bill was not passed by the cabinet. He termed the bill a conspiracy against the PTI government and demanded its withdrawal. However, the bill was reportedly presented for approval in a provincial cabinet meeting. Gardezi and Livestock Minister Hasnain Bahadur Dreshak said they were unaware of the decision regarding the bill in the cabinet meeting.

Chairman Public Accounts Committee Syed Yawar Bukhari had not only voted for the bill but also spoke in its support. In fact, after the passage of the bill, objections came from outside the House on which members of the assembly also expressed reservations about it. The chairman of the PAC also apologised to the House for supporting the bill and admitted his ‘mistake’.

The majority of those who objected to the bill belonged to the ruling party. Five members of the opposition, including Hassan Murtaza, Agha Ali Haider and Kazim Pirzada, also expressed reservations about the bill.

Opposition Leader Hamza Shahbaz also attended a meeting of the special committee formed on the issue that unanimously approved the bill. PPP Parliamentary Leader Hassan Murtaza said his name was included in the special committee but he was not informed about it. However, he participated in the session of the Punjab Assembly in which the bill was passed unanimously.

Due to the debate on the bill in the House, the question and answer session for the Department of Environmental Protection was put off and the session of the assembly was adjourned till Monday.

The constitutional obligation to hold assembly sessions for 100 days during the second parliamentary year will be fulfilled on Monday and it is likely to the prorogued after that. Senior MPA from PTI Mian Shafi Mohammad said record legislation had been carried out in Punjab Assembly during the year with 37 new laws passed.

However, PML-N Chief Whip Khalil Tahir Sindhu complained that the standing committees could not be formed in the Punjab Assembly in two years. He said the House was incomplete without the committees. There are many committees that do not hold any meeting in five years.

Opposition Leader Hamza Shahbaz completed 15 months in detention at the end of the second parliamentary year. In his speech supporting a resolution on the occasion of Kashmir Exploitation Day on August 5, he also criticised the PTI government. However, the speaker acknowledged his services to the Punjab Assembly and congratulated him on the adoption of the resolution on Kashmir. Chief Minister Usman Buzdar left the House at the beginning of the opposition leader’s speech.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 10^th, 2020.