Another feat: K-P Assembly passes law to protect interest of injured
Opposition parties to challenge ADP funds to MPAs in the 2014-15 budget.
PESHAWAR:
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly unanimously passed a law on Tuesday to guarantee medical aid and treatment on a priority basis to all injured persons.
Earlier on October 23, the treasury bench had tabled the bill to which the opposition bench had proposed a series of amendments.
Nevertheless, the law was unanimously passed by the house as the treasury bench did not accept two amendments raised by Awami National Party (ANP) lawmaker Syed Jaffer Shah. Moreover, another amendment put forward by Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Amna Sardar lapsed because she did not attend the session.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Injured Persons and Emergency (Medical Aid) Act 2014 is aimed at streamlining the rules on providing aid and medical assistance to the injured.
Police conduct
According to a copy of the legislation available with The Express Tribune, no police official is permitted to interfere while an injured person is undergoing medical treatment at a hospital unless written permission of the hospital in charge is obtained.
The new law also bars police officials from taking injured persons to police stations before necessary treatment has been provided.
Moreover, the legislation urges police officials to ensure injured persons are treated at a hospital before any medico-legal procedure is undertaken.
According to Section 8(2) of the act, police officers “shall not in any way influence the doctor to give an opinion about the type and details of injury of the injured persons”.
Good Samaritan
Section 9 of the legislation stipulates that a person who brings an injured individual to hospital on a purely humanitarian basis should not be harassed and should be lauded for his efforts. According to the new law, this clause applies to cases involving road accidents.
“He shall be allowed to leave the hospital after he has provided his name, address, telephone number and submitted a copy of his identity card...” the act reads.
The Injured Persons and Emergency (Medical Aid) Act 2014 also calls for an awareness campaign to educate the general public, medical professionals and police about medico-legal procedures.
The new law also states that doctors need not wait for the consent of the relatives of the injured persons if he or she requires emergency treatment or an operation.
Checks and balances
The Injured Persons and Emergency (Medical Aid) Act 2014 also introduces a stringent regime of punishments for those who infringe its provisions. According to the new law, anyone who contravenes its provisions will either be imprisoned for two years or fined at least Rs10,000.
In exceptional circumstances, those who violate the provision may also be liable to both penalties and a series of other sanctions for which he may be liable under any other laws.
According to the copy of the legislation, where a fine has been imposed, half the amount will be paid to the injured person or his heirs as compensation.
Furthermore, the court or the judicial magistrate may direct the medical authorities to cancel the registration of doctors who act negligently in tackling the medical needs of injured persons.
During the assembly session, the house also passed the K-P Appointment of Law Officers Act 2014 and K-P Environmental Protection Act 2014.
The session was later adjourned till Friday afternoon.
Opposition to challenge ADP funds
After the session, Pakistan Peoples Party’s Nighat Orakzai told journalists that opposition parties have decided to challenge the allocation of development funds to lawmakers in the 2014-15 budget.
“While 95% of development funds have been allocated to government and its allied parties’ MPAs, the opposition has been completely sidelined and ignored,” she said.
Moreover, Orakzai added that the chief minister’s son-in-law has also been issued Rs250 million for his constituency from the province’s development funds.
She said Barrister Sultan Muhammad Khan, Sheraz Khan, Malik Riaz, Mohammad Ali Shah Baacha and Syed Jaffer Shah would take the matter to court.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 26th, 2014.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly unanimously passed a law on Tuesday to guarantee medical aid and treatment on a priority basis to all injured persons.
Earlier on October 23, the treasury bench had tabled the bill to which the opposition bench had proposed a series of amendments.
Nevertheless, the law was unanimously passed by the house as the treasury bench did not accept two amendments raised by Awami National Party (ANP) lawmaker Syed Jaffer Shah. Moreover, another amendment put forward by Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Amna Sardar lapsed because she did not attend the session.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Injured Persons and Emergency (Medical Aid) Act 2014 is aimed at streamlining the rules on providing aid and medical assistance to the injured.
Police conduct
According to a copy of the legislation available with The Express Tribune, no police official is permitted to interfere while an injured person is undergoing medical treatment at a hospital unless written permission of the hospital in charge is obtained.
The new law also bars police officials from taking injured persons to police stations before necessary treatment has been provided.
Moreover, the legislation urges police officials to ensure injured persons are treated at a hospital before any medico-legal procedure is undertaken.
According to Section 8(2) of the act, police officers “shall not in any way influence the doctor to give an opinion about the type and details of injury of the injured persons”.
Good Samaritan
Section 9 of the legislation stipulates that a person who brings an injured individual to hospital on a purely humanitarian basis should not be harassed and should be lauded for his efforts. According to the new law, this clause applies to cases involving road accidents.
“He shall be allowed to leave the hospital after he has provided his name, address, telephone number and submitted a copy of his identity card...” the act reads.
The Injured Persons and Emergency (Medical Aid) Act 2014 also calls for an awareness campaign to educate the general public, medical professionals and police about medico-legal procedures.
The new law also states that doctors need not wait for the consent of the relatives of the injured persons if he or she requires emergency treatment or an operation.
Checks and balances
The Injured Persons and Emergency (Medical Aid) Act 2014 also introduces a stringent regime of punishments for those who infringe its provisions. According to the new law, anyone who contravenes its provisions will either be imprisoned for two years or fined at least Rs10,000.
In exceptional circumstances, those who violate the provision may also be liable to both penalties and a series of other sanctions for which he may be liable under any other laws.
According to the copy of the legislation, where a fine has been imposed, half the amount will be paid to the injured person or his heirs as compensation.
Furthermore, the court or the judicial magistrate may direct the medical authorities to cancel the registration of doctors who act negligently in tackling the medical needs of injured persons.
During the assembly session, the house also passed the K-P Appointment of Law Officers Act 2014 and K-P Environmental Protection Act 2014.
The session was later adjourned till Friday afternoon.
Opposition to challenge ADP funds
After the session, Pakistan Peoples Party’s Nighat Orakzai told journalists that opposition parties have decided to challenge the allocation of development funds to lawmakers in the 2014-15 budget.
“While 95% of development funds have been allocated to government and its allied parties’ MPAs, the opposition has been completely sidelined and ignored,” she said.
Moreover, Orakzai added that the chief minister’s son-in-law has also been issued Rs250 million for his constituency from the province’s development funds.
She said Barrister Sultan Muhammad Khan, Sheraz Khan, Malik Riaz, Mohammad Ali Shah Baacha and Syed Jaffer Shah would take the matter to court.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 26th, 2014.