ISLAMABAD: Acting Speaker National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri on Thursday issued the production order of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly and Chairman Public Accounts Committee Shahbaz Sharif for meetings of the PAC till January 1, 2018.
The production orders issued under the Rule 108 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007 with jointly read with rule 29.
Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri was officiating as Acting Speaker in the absence of Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar who was in London on a private visit.
The Public Accounts Committee meeting scheduled to be started from today (Friday) and will continue on Monday and Tuesday.
According to schedule which has already been notified, the wing of the Public Accounts Committee will give the briefing in its first meeting of the Committee on the working mechanism of the PAC wing while in second meeting of the PAC on Monday (December 31, 2018) the Auditor General of Pakistan will give the briefing on the working and auditing mechanism of department of the Auditor General of Pakistan and details of the Audit reports as well as pending audit reports which will be brought before the PAC and in its third meeting on Tuesday (January 1, 2018).
The Ministry of Energy (Power Division) will give overall briefing to the PAC with regard to detailed performance of the Power Division as well as about the power projects of past, present and future projects.
Chairman Public Accounts Committee Shahbaz has requested to issue the production order for him to chair the committee meeting.
Under the Rule 108 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007 deals with the power of the production order that lies with the Speaker National Assembly for issuance of the production order of any detained member of the National Assembly and same case with the chairman of the Standing Committees but it was first time the Chairman PAC was himself in custody so his production order could only be issued by Speaker National Assembly.
Though rule 108 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007, deals with the power of the production order that lies with the Speaker National Assembly for issuance of the production order of any detained member and same case with the chairman of the Standing Committees but the rule 108 silent whether if the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly himself was under custody.
But at the same time Rule 29 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007, it gives the powers to the Speaker where rules were silent then the Speaker National Assembly has residuary powers under which all matters not specifically provided for in these rules and all questions relating to the detailed working of these rules shall be regulated in such manner as the Speaker may, from time to time, direct.
The Rule 108 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007 read as “Production of member in custody for a sitting of the Assembly or meeting of Committee.-(1) The Speaker or Chairman of a Committee may summon a member in custody on the charge of a non-bailable offence to attend a sitting or sittings of the Assembly or meeting of a Committee of which he is a member, if he considers his presence necessary.
(2) On a Production Order, signed by the Secretary or by any other officer authorised in this behalf, addressed to the government of the province where the member is held in custody, or to the authority concerned, the provincial government or such authority shall cause the member in custody to be produced before the Sergeant-at-Arms, who shall, after the conclusion of the sitting or the meeting, deliver the member into the custody of the provincial government or other authority concerned.”
While the Rule 29 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007 read as “Residuary powers of the Speaker- All matters not specifically provided for in these rules and all questions relating to the detailed working of these rules shall be regulated in such manner as the Speaker may, from time to time, direct.”
