ISLAMABAD: The inordinate delay in constituting the standing committees echoed in the National Assembly on Wednesday as the house is yet to make the house panels functional despite the passage of about two months since the election of the leader of the house.

Under the law, the house is bound to make the standing committees functional within 30 days after the election of the leader of the house – the prime minister – but the formation of the panels hit a snag as both the treasury and the opposition are not ready to forgo some of the important committees.

However, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif informed that discussion has been completed as to how the distribution of committees should be done as per the rules and tradition of the house.

He assured the house that the committees would be made fully functional by Monday or Tuesday, adding all the committees would be made operational as legislation has already begun.

“We’re trying to ensure equitable distribution of the committees which include parties belonging to both opposition and treasury as well as the coalition partners…the way things are moving amicably, the issue will be sorted out early next week,” he added.

At the onset of the session, speaking on a point of order, Khawaja Izharul Hassan of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) questioned the delay in the formation of the standing committees.

He said that under the constitution, the committees should be formed within 30 days of the election of the leader of the house, but it has been about two months, and the committees are yet to be made functional.

“It’s been more than two months since the election of the prime minister but the announcement of standing committees is yet to be made…we’ve introduced numerous bills in the house, and how can it be processed if there exist no standing committees,” he questioned.

He sought the ruling from NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq who was presiding over the session, saying there should be no further delay.

The NA speaker said that he had asked the chief whips of respective parties to discuss the matter, as which party should be given which committee based on their strength in the house.

“It’s a matter of utmost importance…we need to sort out what’s the percentage of the committees based on the parties’ strength in the house and then the constitution of the committees will be decided. This is what I’d requested to both the opposition and the treasury members,” he added.

The Minister for Law and Justice, Azam Nazeer Tarar, said that the NA Secretariat has finalised the proportionate percentage of the standing committees’ distribution in consultation with all the parliamentary parties.

“The house is now complete after the by-elections and the parliamentary leaders of all the parties should finalise the names of their members and chairmen…it’s a must for effective functioning of the house as the standing committees are the extended arms of the house,” he added.

As per ongoing practice, the NA Speaker added, that both sides should decide which committee should go to the opposition and which should be with the government, and then it will be decided who should be the chairman and member.

Barrister Gohar Ali Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) said that the issue would be decided today (Thursday) as a meeting is scheduled to sort out the matter which would be attended by both and opposition members.

The NA speaker directed both the opposition and treasury to finalise the issue today (Thursday) as there be no further delay.

Zain Qureshi of PTI-backed SIC said that the government is demanding standing committees which always remained with the opposition traditionally while the opposition is also showing interest in some standing committees, which led to delay.

However, he said that the issue would be settled by today (Thursday) as both sides have reached a consensus after months-long deliberations.

At the onset of the session, the lawmakers belonging to both opposition and treasury called for sending out a uniform message – whether it is the provincial government of Punjab or Sindh – that every single corn of grain be purchased to facilitate the farmer.

Responding to a calling attention notice, the minister for law emphasized the need to evolve a policy in consultation with all stakeholders to vacate Evacuee Trust Property in district Nankana Sahib.

He said a massive anti-encroachment operation is needed to vacate these properties from illegal occupants, adding total agricultural land of Nankana Sahib Gurdwara is 16,931 acres and around 14,000 illegal constructions have been made on that property.

He said 1,447 acres of that land has been encroached on by illegal settlements. He said the government is committed to retrieving the encroached land from illegal occupants.

Replying to another calling attention notice, he said the government is making all-out efforts to enhance the energy mix to provide affordable electricity to the consumers.

He said a plant with the help of China will be set up in Pakistan to manufacture solar panels in the country to reduce cost.

The minister also laid the authenticated copy of President Asif Ali Zardari’s address to the joint session of the parliament, in the house.

The joint session of both houses of the parliament was assembled on the 18th of this month.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024