Cut in two: Govt, opposition lock horns over Kohistan’s division
Local government bill passed; assembly witnesses walkout for second consecutive day.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly in session. PHOTO: AFP
PESHAWAR:
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly passed the Local Government (amendment) Bill amid a walkout from the opposition on Tuesday, paving the way for local bodies’ elections in the newly-carved upper and lower districts of Kohistan.
The main bone of contention for opposition lawmakers was the division of Kohistan into two districts. However, treasury benches rejected their demands to withdraw the proposed amendments.
When Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) lawmakers refused to accept Minister for Local Government Inayataullah Khan’s explanation, K-P Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser put the matter to a vote. However, the speaker was compelled to put the matter to a vote for the second time as there was some confusion. This infuriated the opposition who then staged a walkout.
During the session, JUI-F lawmaker from Kohistan, Maulana Asmatullah, termed the bifurcation of the district “illegal”, saying the assembly lacked the authority to take such a step. He explained that some of the areas included in Lower Kohistan were part of the Provincially Administrated Tribal Areas (Pata) and the Constitution bars any kind of interference in these regions unless approved by the president.
Asmatullah said the provincial assembly could not legislate on the issue as the case was pending in court and called for the bifurcation to be revoked. His claims were backed by Maulana Lutfur Rehman who proposed a committee to discuss this matter.
Inayatullah Khan rejected Asmatullah’s assertion, saying the districts were administrative units formed by the revenue department. Khan said the proposed act was only concerned with the formation of village and union councils in the newly-formed districts. He said the decision had been notified and a deputy commissioner and district police officer had already been appointed.
The minister said an appeal against the bifurcation had been rejected by the Abbottabad Circuit Bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), while the PHC appeal was still pending.
He added that the proper procedure to enact laws pertaining to Pata is that the legislation, after being passed by the provincial assembly, is sent to the governor for his consent. Following his approval, the home and tribal affairs department will send it to the president for his nod.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA from Kohistan, Abdul Sattar Khan, backed the treasury benches and asked them to pass the bill. When the speaker put the matter to a vote for the second time after the opposition walkout, the bill was passed by the house.
School security
During question hour, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Atif Khan informed the house the government had diverted about Rs6.5 billion from various heads to security of schools.
Atif said that government had earlier earmarked about Rs2.5 billion to purchase furniture and other facilities for schools. However, in the aftermath of the Peshawar school attack, Rs2 billion was transferred for security of educational institutions, while Rs1.5 billion from conditional grants was also diverted for the same purpose. He added Rs3 billion were also re-appropriated for security from other heads.
A charged Tarakai
At the start of the session, K-P Minister for Health Shahram Khan Tarakai, while speaking on a point of order, expressed his anger over allegations of illegal appointments in his department. He asked the speaker to form a committee to investigate the allegations, saying he would otherwise be forced to choose another course. “If these allegations are proven, I will resign. Otherwise, those who leveled these allegations should do so.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 18th, 2015.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly passed the Local Government (amendment) Bill amid a walkout from the opposition on Tuesday, paving the way for local bodies’ elections in the newly-carved upper and lower districts of Kohistan.
The main bone of contention for opposition lawmakers was the division of Kohistan into two districts. However, treasury benches rejected their demands to withdraw the proposed amendments.
When Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) lawmakers refused to accept Minister for Local Government Inayataullah Khan’s explanation, K-P Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser put the matter to a vote. However, the speaker was compelled to put the matter to a vote for the second time as there was some confusion. This infuriated the opposition who then staged a walkout.
During the session, JUI-F lawmaker from Kohistan, Maulana Asmatullah, termed the bifurcation of the district “illegal”, saying the assembly lacked the authority to take such a step. He explained that some of the areas included in Lower Kohistan were part of the Provincially Administrated Tribal Areas (Pata) and the Constitution bars any kind of interference in these regions unless approved by the president.
Asmatullah said the provincial assembly could not legislate on the issue as the case was pending in court and called for the bifurcation to be revoked. His claims were backed by Maulana Lutfur Rehman who proposed a committee to discuss this matter.
Inayatullah Khan rejected Asmatullah’s assertion, saying the districts were administrative units formed by the revenue department. Khan said the proposed act was only concerned with the formation of village and union councils in the newly-formed districts. He said the decision had been notified and a deputy commissioner and district police officer had already been appointed.
The minister said an appeal against the bifurcation had been rejected by the Abbottabad Circuit Bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), while the PHC appeal was still pending.
He added that the proper procedure to enact laws pertaining to Pata is that the legislation, after being passed by the provincial assembly, is sent to the governor for his consent. Following his approval, the home and tribal affairs department will send it to the president for his nod.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA from Kohistan, Abdul Sattar Khan, backed the treasury benches and asked them to pass the bill. When the speaker put the matter to a vote for the second time after the opposition walkout, the bill was passed by the house.
School security
During question hour, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Atif Khan informed the house the government had diverted about Rs6.5 billion from various heads to security of schools.
Atif said that government had earlier earmarked about Rs2.5 billion to purchase furniture and other facilities for schools. However, in the aftermath of the Peshawar school attack, Rs2 billion was transferred for security of educational institutions, while Rs1.5 billion from conditional grants was also diverted for the same purpose. He added Rs3 billion were also re-appropriated for security from other heads.
A charged Tarakai
At the start of the session, K-P Minister for Health Shahram Khan Tarakai, while speaking on a point of order, expressed his anger over allegations of illegal appointments in his department. He asked the speaker to form a committee to investigate the allegations, saying he would otherwise be forced to choose another course. “If these allegations are proven, I will resign. Otherwise, those who leveled these allegations should do so.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 18th, 2015.