K-P Assembly overrides governor, passes bill

Approves Naat resolution, quashes cabinet reshuffle rumours

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has rejected the Governor's objections to the Overseas Pakistanis Commission Bill and passed it in its original form.

The governor was of the view that the provincial bill violated the Immigration Ordinance of 1979, while the provincial law minister stated that it is the provincial government's prerogative to address issues faced by K-P residents living abroad.

During the assembly session, the Speaker informed the house that the governor had returned the bill with written objections. The governor's concerns included constitutional challenges, as the 1979 Immigration Ordinance already provides federal legislation through the Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment.

Implementing this bill will be in conflict with constitutional principles, as federal legislation on the subject is either enacted or under consideration.

The governor's objection further emphasized that the provincial governments do not have the constitutional authority to legislate on matters included in the federal legislative list.

Moreover, the government bill would also violate the Immigration Ordinance of 1979.

Law Minister Aftab Alam informed the House that the Law Department had reviewed the governor's objections and after his opinion, there was no need for ambiguity.

The Punjab government also approved the same commission in 2014. After the law minister rejected the governor's objections, the speaker re-introduced the bill in the house, which was approved.

On the other hand, the assembly unanimously passed a resolution to recite Naat after the recitation of Holy Quran during the assembly session.

Treasury member Abdul Ghani presented a joint resolution in the house. The resolution was signed by Provincial Minister for Religious Affairs, Muhammad Adnan Qadri, Zarshad Khan, Sultan Rome, Mina Khan Afridi, Taj Muhammad Tarand, Adnan Khan, Samiullah Khan, and Mian Sharafat Ali.

The resolution called for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to start reciting Naat after the recitation of the Holy Quran, similar to the practice in the National Assembly and Punjab Assembly. This resolution was unanimously approved by the house.

In the session, Shafiullah Khan demanded in the resolution that the physiotherapists temporarily recruited in K-P should be made permanent, which was approved by the house.

Similarly, the issue of rumors about cabinet reshuffle in the province was brought up in the assembly. Government member Laik Muhammad Khan demanded legal action against those spreading rumors about the cabinet reshuffle.

During the Assembly session, government member Laik Muhammad Khan said on a point of order that rumors about cabinet reshuffle are being spread on social media. People are making false statements, so legal action should be taken against them, he said.

Chief Minister and founding chairman give the authority to reshuffle the cabinet, he added.

Speaker Babar Saleem Swati said that the matter will be reviewed and if any such material comes to light, it will be sent to the FIA for action.