K-P PA passes just one private bill in two years

Provincial lawmakers approved 86 bills in last 26 months

PESHAWAR:

Out of 86 bills passed by provincial assembly in the past 26 months, only one was private bill while two private bills are still awaiting approval.

The details released by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly Secretariat showed that all the bills approved by the provincial assembly were presented by the treasury benches. Only one private bill, the K-P Provincial Buildings (Management, Control and Allotment) (Amendment) Act, 2019, presented by the ruling party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Muhammad Arif was approved last year by the provincial assembly.

It stated that during the Awami National Party (ANP), the provincial assembly had adopted a bill from private member bill for conducting the medical examination of bride and groom for thalassemia and several other diseases before marriage. The prohibition of interest on private loans bill was presented in the provincial assembly during the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) government.

The Private Member Bills Day has not been observed during the current assembly due to which private bills have not been tabled in the house.

A private bill, the K-P Land Acquisition Amendment Bill, 2019, moved by the MMA leader Munawar Khan on July 18 last year was referred to a relevant standing committee for discussion, however, it has not been presented in the assembly for approval. The Jamat-e-Islami (JI) leader Inayatullah Khan had presented the K-P Private School Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2019, has also not been passed by the assembly.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Pakistan Peoples Party leader in the provincial assembly, Night Orakzai said that the provincial government creates hurdles against legislation which is meant for public welfare. The Private Member Bills Day has not been held because the government wanted to take credit of every law passed by the house.

Resolution submitted for establishing law university

Meanwhile, PPP leader Nighat Orakzai submitted a resolution to K-P Assembly Secretariat on Saturday demanding establishment of a law university in Peshawar in the light of the orders of the Peshawar High Court (PHC).

The PPP leader said that the PHC had directed for setting up a law university in the provincial capital, however, the government was not implementing these orders. She demanded of the provincial government to immediately implement the court orders and establish the law university.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 25^th, 2020.