Bill move in K-P assembly for vetting of legislation

Orakzai claims move will help improve quality of the laws

PESHAWAR:

To empower the elected assembly and provide greater oversight, an opposition lawmaker has sought changes in the provincial assembly’s rules whereby all bills introduced must be first sent to the relevant committee to review within a set period before being reintroduced in the house.

In an amendment submitted to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly Secretariat in Peshawar on Friday, Pakistan Peoples Party leader Nighat Orakzai has sought changes to the rules of the house, specifically rules 81 and 81-A.

Orakzai stated that the budget and its accompanying finance bill along with all other bills tabled in the assembly must be first sent to the relevant committee for deliberation and review apart from suggesting any necessary changes. After a set period, the assembly speaker can then allow these bills to be reintroduced in the assembly for voting.

Orakzai told The Express Tribune that at the moment, the government enjoys an overwhelming majority in the house. As a result, bills which are tabled in the house are passed within a couple of days. This leaves lawmakers with little time to analyse the bill and understand what it is about. Moreover, she said that the public is also left clueless about what legislation has taken place in the house.

She said that her amendment suggests that each bill should be referred to the relevant standing committee, who can review it in detail and bring necessary changes after hearing all sides while lawmakers can also learn the details of the bill.

The main aim of the amendment, Orakzai said, was to introduce and pass quality laws.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2020.