Opposition submits requisition for KP Assembly session

PESHAWAR: After the governor’s decision to prorogue sine die the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly session on Tuesday, the joint opposition submitted a requisition in the Assembly Secretariat on Wednesday for calling the sitting again.

Signed by 38 members from the joint opposition, the requisition was submitted by Nighat Orakzai of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Sobia Shahid of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Rehana Ismail of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).

The 15-point agenda for the requisition includes discussion on hydel net profit, tobacco cess, increase in electricity tariff, problems in development process in newly merged tribal districts, lack of funds for ongoing scheme in the province, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Billion Tree Tsunami Project, natural gas supply to districts, local bodies elections, lack of medical facilities in government hospitals and MTI Act, flour crisis, debate on auditor general’s report, solarisation of tubewells, financial crisis faced by public sector universities in the province and price-hike and unemployment.

Earlier, Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani had adjourned the assembly session on January 14 till 27th.

However, the session could not be held and again and it adjourned till February 7. On January 28, the governor prorogued the session sine die probably due to the expulsion of three ministers from the cabinet as the government wanted to avoid any embarrassing situation and debate on the issue in the assembly.

After the opposition submitted a requisition on Wednesday for calling the sitting at the earliest, the speaker will have to summon the session within two weeks.

Following differences in the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and formation of a dissident group reportedly comprising five minister and 20 MPAs, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan showed the door to three senior cabinet colleagues, Senior Minister for Sports, Culture and Tourism Atif Khan, Health Minister Shahram Khan Tarakai and Minister for Revenue and Estate Shakeel Khan.

It was also reported that some MPAs would be issued show-cause notices for allegedly violating the party discipline. In such a situation, the government fears the treasury benches might face embarrassment and the opposition would definitely exploit the situation.

The treasury benches often face embarrassment on the floor of the House because of the absence of ministers to respond to questions raised by the opposition members who are comparatively more experienced and prepared than the government side.