Key lower house panels still without chairmen
The posts of chairmen of at least four committees of the National Assembly (NA), the lower house of parliament, are still vacant as their selection has not so far been made.
These forums are concerned with the ministries of communications, energy, and statistics, and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The official data, however, shows that these committees have been constituted, incorporating members of the ruling coalition and opposition parties.
In the absence of their chairmen, these bodies are unable to hold meetings, and thus matters pertaining to the concerned
ministries coming up in the National Assembly are not being referred to them for consideration, debate, and scrutiny.
After a long time, the government and opposition parties reached consensus on constituting the NA committees.
However, no election of any chairman has been held, and only selections as agreed between the two sides were made.
The share decided for them is being strictly implemented to avoid any controversy.
It is evident that despite differences on every issue, the ruling alliance and opposition parties arrived at an agreement to have the chairmen of the parliamentary committees elected on the basis of their respective strength in the National Assembly.
The committee on the CPEC has been formed in the National Assembly on the pattern of the Senate, where it is led by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Sherry Rehman.
The chairmen of all the remaining 43 committees of the lower house of Parliament have been named from both sides of the isles.
Some of these bodies have started functioning, while many have yet to hold even inaugural meetings.
Parliamentary observers say that the forums, completed in all respects, will be activated to give their input on the proposed legislation as the government introduces its legislative business in the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, the standing committee on rules of procedure and privileges meets on April 17 to take up the question of privilege raised by a Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker regarding his entanglement in a “false, politically-motivated case” in Kakarali police station, Gujrat, by the registration of a “fabricated” first information report (FIR) against him and an alleged attempt by Mian Tahir Bashir, the superintendent of police at headquarters, and Mian Mohamed Arshad, the deputy superintendent of police, along with police personnel, to forcibly occupy his property.
The committee will also consider the question of privilege raised by Ali Nawaz Shah, an independent MP from Sindh, regarding “non-attending” of his telephone calls by the Sindh local government secretary and alleged harassment of his voters by Deputy Commissioner of Mirpurkhas Mehdi Shah and superintendent of police Abid Baloch.
On May 2, the standing committee on parliamentary affairs will hold a session for a briefing from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), with reference to polls for the general seats of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly in the merged areas of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
It will also be briefed on the Prime Minister Grievances Cell of the Parliamentary Affairs Division, covering the details of funds utilised with region-wise breakup and revival of the fatal disease programme.
A sub-body of the Public Accounts Committee has been convened on April 23, to take into consideration matters relating to the aviation division.
The department has been asked to be represented by its principal accounting officer during the review of audit paras, relating to it.
The special committee on agriculture products meets on April 17 and will get a briefing on agriculture policy and institutional framework for agriculture development in each province, and key constraints and emerging challenges to agriculture sector.
The standing committee on maritime also assembles the same day to get an update on the maritime laws and contemporary challenges to the maritime sector, with special reference to legal implications.