Restoring peace: Govt’s indecision on joint resolution angers opposition

Session adjourned amid hostile cries of ‘shame, shame’.

PESHAWAR:

Hesitation shown by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) in allowing the opposition to present a resolution mandating the government to take steps for the restoration of peace angered the opposition lawmakers on Tuesday.

Deputy Speaker Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi had to adjourn the assembly session amid resounding cries of “shame, shame” from opposition lawmakers. Qureshi was chairing the session on Tuesday at a time when the opposition benches were contemplating a walkout against the provincial government’s use of delay tactics in allowing the resolution to be tabled.

At the end of the question hour, Awami National Party parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak asked the treasury benches to jointly present a resolution approving any action the provincial government takes to restore peace in K-P. Both the treasury benches and the opposition benches had agreed on the matter a day earlier.



However, Minister for Information Shah Farman instead asked for the formation of a committee to prepare a draft which would be presented on Wednesday. Many opposition members backed Babak, but Deputy Speaker Qureshi said the issue would be discussed after they were done with the day’s agenda.

Later, when Babak and Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Nighat Orakzai attempted to present the resolution, Qureshi did not allow them to proceed.

The move led to an uproar in the house as both opposition and treasury lawmakers stood up and began speaking at the same time. Shahid adjourned the session till Wednesday afternoon when the opposition threatened a walkout which caused them to verbally shame the treasury bench.

Earlier, Information Minister Shah Farman informed the house the government is investigating the thrashing of a journalist at the assembly’s premises on January 18.

“The government will ensure that no more incidents like this take place in the future,” assured Farman, adding the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf would not have been in power in the province had there not been an independent media.

Furthermore, opposition lawmakers criticised the government for not providing adequate treatment to the injured journalist admitted at Lady Reading Hospital and asked  that the government shift him to Islamabad for treatment.

A private member bill titled K-P Tibb and Homeopathic Employees Regularisation of Services Bill 2014, introduced by Muzaffar Syed, was laid before the house.

However, two others bills including K-P Appointment of Certain Project Employees Bill 2014 moved by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl MPA Uzma Khan and a notice to amend K-P Assembly Procedure and Conduct of Business Rules 1988 moved by Sardar Hussain Babak were not accepted.

On Monday, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Secretariat notified 37 standing committees of the house. At least 22 committees will be headed by the members of the ruling coalition, while the remaining have been given to the opposition.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2014.