Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Friday unanimously demanded the granting of right to vote for expatriate Pakistanis and avoiding their maltreatment at airports. The two identical resolutions also carrying the signatures of Saleem Khan (PPP), Syed Jaffar Shah (ANP), Mairaj Hamayun (QWP) and Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha of PML-N were moved by Shaukat Ali Yousafzai of the PTI.
The resolution said that millions of expatriate Pakistanis staying in different countries of the world have been deprived of the right to vote. Therefore, through the resolution the house demanded of the federal government for granting the right of vote to expatriates.
Similarly, through the second resolution, the house said that overseas Pakistanis are the backbone of the economy of Pakistan. Therefore, they should not be teased at airports and should be facilitated. The presiding officer, Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli put the resolutions to vote and the house adopted them unanimously. Meanwhile, joint opposition staged walkout from the house against wrong reply and absence of the ministers from the proceedings of the assembly.
It was answer of the Tourism Department to the Maulana Mufti Fazal Ghafoor about tourism sector development schemes, which infuriated the opposition to protest in the house. He said that his question was about District Buner, but the department has mentioned development schemes of district Swat and threatened that now they will not allow the proceedings of the house.
Hussain Shah, another JUI-F legislator also took the floor and complained that in presence of the dozens of ministers and parliamentary secretaries, no one is ready to respond their questions. Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha of PML-N said that despite the clear-cut instructions, the government is not giving importance to the house, which is insult of the house and the joint opposition staged walkout of the house.
The Presiding Officer, Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli said that protest is the right of opposition, saying that the concerned minister should have to give prior intimation about their leave. She said that the house has a long agenda, but treasury benches are still vacant. After the walkout of the opposition, the most of the seats in the assembly were laying vacant, which prompted Askar Pervez, a minority MPA of JUI-F to point out the lack of quorum in the house.
The Presiding Officer directed the ringing of the bells and after counting she adjourned the proceedings for 30 minutes. Provincial Minister for Finance, Muzaffar Said and PTI MPA Shaukat Ali Yousafzai held negotiations with the opposition and succeeded in bringing them back to the house. Speaking in the house, Provincial Minister for Finance, Muzaffar Said thanked opposition for ending their protest. He said that the provincial government valued their protest and will make efforts to avoid such occurrence in future. He said that as per ruling of the chair, the issue will be taken with the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary.
In her ruling, the Presiding Officer, Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli said that besides, the Secretary of the concerned department it is also the responsibility of the in charge minister. Then, why it was not considered in such a manner. The finance minister assured the house that in future, the Secretary of the concerned department will set with the minister concerned to include his input.
Later, the presiding officer deferred the question till Monday as a special as neither the Minister for Sports nor parliamentary secretary has come to the house. In this connection, she said that a letter will also be written to the chief minister. Later, the presiding officer announced the adjourning of the proceedings of the house till 3:00 pm of October 12, 2015 (Monday).
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