The government of NWFP on Friday tabled six ordinances promulgated by the governor during last three months for ratification from the provincial legislature. The ordinances presented in the house included the Defence Housing Authority Peshawar Ordinance 2008, The Islamia College University Peshawar Ordinance 2008, Land Laws (Second Amendment) Ordinance 2008.
The Ministers (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges (Second Amendment) Ordinance 2008, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (NWFP), Provincial Motor Vehicle Ordinance, 1965, West Pakistan Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 and Police Order, 2002 (Second Amendment) Ordinance 2008 and the NWFP Sarhad Development Authority Mineral Wing (Taking Over) Ordinance, 2008. Speaker Kiramatullah Khan chaired the proceedings.
Senior parliamentarian Abdul Akbar Khan gave tough time to the government for what he called presentation of the lapsed ordinances in the house. Opposing the first ordinance, he said that the period of the legislation had lapsed and urged the government to table the bill afresh in the house.
Law minister Arshad Abdullah said that opposition should not be for the sake of opposition and the purpose of the legislation should also be taken into consideration before opposing it. The senior parliamentarian was all out to block the ratification of the ordinances. However, the Speaker come to the rescue of the law minister and put the disapproval resolution of the member to vote. The house rejected it with majority vote to allowing housing minister Amjad Khan Afridi to table the ordinances.
The same member also moved a disapproval resolution against the ordinance against Islamia College University Peshawar Ordinance. 2008 and even succeeded in blocking the tabling of the ordinance by the minister concerned. He told the house that a bill in this regard was referred to a select committee of the house, which had rejected it and had proposed upgradation of the college. However, he allowed withdrawal of disapproval motion against the introduction of The NWFP Land Laws (Second Amendment) Ordinance 2008.
Through the ordinance the government had already revived the commissionerate system in the province and had posted commissioner at the divisional level. Speaking on his disapproval motion, Abdul Akbar Khan said the government was committing unconstitutional acts as the matter was included in the Sixth Schedule of the concurrent list.
To Ministers (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2008, he recalled the commitment made with the members of the house that the bill would be moved along with similar bill for increase in the salaries, allowances and privileges of the members of the provincial assembly.
On the insistence of the mover of the disapproval motion and majority members of the house, the government agreed to withhold the tabling of ordinance till the presentation of such legislation for members of the house.
The disapproval motion against the presentation of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (NWFP), Provincial Motor Vehicle Ordinance, 1965, West Pakistan Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 and Police Order, 2002 (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2008 was outvoted by the house with majority. The speaker later adjourned the proceeding of the house till Monday at 10am.