Treasury, opposition ‘clash’ over PAC top slot

Treasury and opposition lawmakers in Punjab Assembly were at loggerheads over several issues including whether or not to make Opposition Leader Hamza Shehbaz Sharif the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

At one point, both the sides seemed on one page over making serious efforts in bringing changes in the old system of university syndicates, which, according to them, had failed to deliver.

As the House proceedings started with Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi in the chair, the lawmakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) strongly opposed the government’s move to get passed the government business on a private members’ day. “This government has set various precedents including the process adopted on May 4 when the legislation was passed”, said PML-N MPA and former speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal.

Lashing out at the Speaker Elahi’s conduct, the PML-N MPA said no effort was made to persuade the opposition’s lawmakers who, boycotting the proceedings, left the House over accommodating government’s business on the private members’ day.

PML-N MPA Samiullalh Khan said, “Neither opposition lawmakers have been made part of the committees nor they are given copies of the agenda when government gets its business included. How the thigs will run?”

He asked, “If two Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers who have issues related to them before NAB, could be made provincial ministers, then why could Opposition Leader Hamza Shehbaz Sharif not be made PAC chairperson?”

The committee system of the assembly has been affected as the opposition is not part of those committees in protest over not making Hamza the PAC chairperson.

Responding to Samiullah, Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat said that everything in assembly was being carried out in accordance with law. “The government and opposition are on one page over not pointing out quorum owing to Covid-19, otherwise it the right of the opposition.”

He stated, “So far as committee’s share is concerned, the PML-N has over 95 percent members in the committees.”

The speaker while intervening said, “If PML-N’s one demand is not fulfilled then the party should take the share in the rest of the committees as per the promise made by the government.”

PML-N’s Malik Arshad expressed concern over the vice chancellor of a university getting the additional charge of another institution.

PTI’s Saeed Akbar Khan labelled the syndicate system ‘a system of kings’ which, according to him, bore no fruits. He demanded change in the system.

Speaker Elahi also seemed dissatisfied over the system, as he said he had also heard about several instances where work was not done adequately. He also directed Punjab Higher Education Minister Raja Yasir Humayun to do something to bring changes in the system which could produce results. However, the minister said the VC would be replaced.

After completion of agenda items, Speaker Elahi adjourned the House proceedings.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2021.