Assembly adamant on making bureaucrats answerable
Punjab Assembly. PHOTO: EXPRESS
Despite reported resistance of bureaucrats and objections raised by Governor Chaudhry Sarwar, the provincial assembly once again passed the Provincial Assembly of Punjab Privilege (amendment) Bill on Tuesday.
The move sent a strong message that the bureaucracy should be answerable to the lawmakers.
The assembly had unanimously passed the bill last month but as it later reached the governor for his signatures, the bureaucrats reportedly reacted strongly against its provisions. As a result, some objections were raised and the bill was sent back to Punjab Assembly with a suggestion to make it more viable.
However, Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi remained adamant and asserted in the assembly last week that he knew that some bureaucrats were making efforts to hamper the promulgation of the law. He vowed to foil the designs of those opposing the bill to ensure unanimous adoption of the law so that the bureaucracy could be made answerable before the lawmakers.
As the assembly passed the bill again, the speaker said that now there would be no need of the governor’s signatures.
He said the assembly could directly send a passed bill for gazette notification.
Under the bill, a judicial committee of the assembly may sentence those responsible after it is established that the privilege of the legislature or a member is breached.
He said no bureaucrat would dare not to pay heed to a lawmaker now.
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Speaker Pervez Elahi also gave a ruling to record any phone call by a deputy commissioner or other bureaucrat to any lawmaker to check their attitude.
He said that only two years of the assembly's tenure were left and now the bureaucracy would have to deliver at any cost.
As the speaker was criticising the bureaucracy, the opposition members chanted slogans of "shair".
Speaking on the issue, the opposition lawmakers lauded the speaker.
Later in the day, provincial Law Minister Basharat Raja raised objection over hurriedly passing the Qarshi University Amendment Bill. Higher Education Minister Yasir Hamayun asked how the bill could be passed without the distribution of its copies.
However, the speaker said all objections had been addressed in the standing committee, following which the bill was passed with a majority.
The session was adjourned till Friday.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 4th, 2021.