Question and solutions: MPAs seek clarity over remit of nazims

Amendment bill tabled to deal with absorbing devolved federal employees

PESHAWAR:

No longer part of the opposition, Qaumi Watan Party lawmakers stepped into Friday’s session with no intentions of being passive observers, especially when it came to local governance. MPA Bakht Baidar Khan raised questions over the remit of nazims; a potential trigger for a power tussle between local government representatives and members of the K-P Assembly.

Speaking at the assembly floor, Baidar drew attention to the issue on a point of order shortly after the proceedings began.

Flanked by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl leaders Munawar Khan and Shah Hussain and Awami National Party’s Syed Jaffar Shah, the lawmaker criticised the nazims for excessively interfering in a range of matters at the district and tehsil level. “Perhaps we should either add more chairs to the house for the district nazims,” the QWP leader quipped.

Speaking on the occasion, Munawar said the powers of the nazims and ministers should be clearly highlighted to prevent confusion. The JUI-F leader added rules of business should be formulated for the local government. According to Jaffar, bureaucrats were cashing in on the ambiguity to serve their own interests.

Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser urged the MPAs to submit an adjournment motion to discuss the matter in detail.

On the table

The treasury benches tabled four amendment bills before the house. Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi tabled the K-P Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill 2015. The proposed legislation deals with the absorption and appointment of around 1,000 federal employees in provincial government departments, post devolution.

Prior to the 18th Constitutional Amendment, these employees served in various federal posts. Once the amendment was passed in 2010, many departments were devolved to the provincial government and these employees were serving on deputation.

Once this bill is enacted, employees will be formally transferred to the provincial government. The seniority of the employees would be determined in accordance with the provision of this bill while their pensions, gratuity and other perks will be shared between the federal government and provincial government.

Under the amendment, a committee comprising department secretaries will be constituted to prevent hurdles in the implementation of the bill. However, no specific timeframe has been outlined in the bill for the details that still need hashing out.

The K-P Health Foundation Bill 2015 was also tabled. The proposed bill seeks to establish a health foundation in the province. The forum will deal with matters involving public-private partnership in the health sector.

Qureshi also tabled the Provincial Services Academy (Amendment) Bill 2015.

Meanwhile, Minister for Information Mushtaq Ghani tabled the K-P Journalist Welfare Endowment Fund (Amendment) Bill 2015. The bill deals with increasing the endowment funds for journalists in the event of medical emergencies, disability and provision of financial assistance to their families if they lose their lives in terrorism-related incidents.

About the Right to Information Act 2013, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha said government departments were providing incorrect information. It was decided this matter would be looked into by a standing committee.

Under oath

Pakistan Peoples Party leader and newly-elected MPA from PK-93, Upper Dir, Sahibzada Sanaullah, was sworn in during the session.

In his speech, Sanaullah criticised Jamaat-e-Islami who lost against him. “No chief minister of K-P has ever visited Dir ever since it became part of Pakistan,” he said. “Over the last 40 years, it has been under the influence of a single party and remains largely underdeveloped.”

The assembly also passed a joint resolution to urge the federal government to withdraw the tax imposed on the entry and exit of international passengers. It was tabled by QWP’s Sikandar Sherpao.

According to the resolution, overseas Pakistanis are mainly from underprivileged background and bring in billions of rupees as foreign remittances for Pakistan. As a result, imposing taxes on them will increase their woes.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2015.