The bill was introduced in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly a week ago. PHOTO: FILE
The bill was introduced in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly a week ago, but when it was tabled before the house on Monday, Deputy Speaker Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi directly went for the clearance stage asking members for their vote without taking the opposition’s amendments into account.
Opposition lawmakers opposed what they called ‘hasty passing of the bill’ and insisted that it should go through a select committee – as standing committees are yet to be notified.
Awami National Party parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak said the opposition is not against this law, but no legislation should be passed at ‘supersonic speed’. “We need to discuss this in detail in the house,” Babak said, questioning the intention of the government in rushing ahead with the bill.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) lawmaker Munawar Khan said such laws need to be discussed in the law reform committee, adding many members are not aware about the content and significance of the law as yet.
Pakistan Peoples Party’s lawmaker Salim Khan said the government should have consulted the opposition before presenting the law, but it did not.
Opposition leader from the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan said treasury benches should take suggestions into account before forwarding the bill to the committee. “We have no objection to the spirit of this bill, but an act of assembly should have the consent of the whole house.”
Information Minister Shah Farman told lawmakers the RTI law was aimed at empowering people, holding public office holders and officials accountable and putting an end to corruption. “If the opposition thinks sending this law to a select committee will result in greater understanding between the opposition and treasury, I will not oppose the decision,” he added.
By-elections
The government denied reports of the provincial government’s interference in the NA-25 DI Khan-cum-Tank by-elections scheduled for Wednesday.
Replying to a point of order of JUI-F lawmakers Zahid Durrani and Mufti Syed Janan, Law Minister Israrullah Gandapur said neither did the chief minister attend Imran Khan’s public meetings in Tank nor did he enter the constituency limits.
He further said development funds have not been allocated to the area and transfers have not been made either.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2013.
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Article from Dawn: The government delayed the passage of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Bill, 2013, in the assembly at the eleventh hour on Monday when Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Israrullah Khan Gandapur agreed to the opposition’s suggestion that the draft should be referred to the House’s select committee for examination and recommendations, instead of passing it in haste.
ET try to report the complete picture instead of part of the picture.
Opposition has a problem with any thing. They first said targets not met in 90 days. now they say don't go at supersonic speed. Mark my words. Opposition parties are worried about their own existence after seeing the performance of PTI and KPK Government. Please be ready for the Anti-corruption law which is on its way.