Is accountability only for politicians, ask MPsCriticise NAB in NA

ISLAMABAD: Legislators in the National Assembly, during the Question-Hour on Friday, criticised the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and enquired if accountability was meant for politicians only.

However, responding to a question, Minister for Human Rights Zahid Hamid informed the National Assembly that it was a part of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) manifesto to improve the NAB laws and establish a commission for ensuring transparent accountability.

He said that a media trial should not be carried out until the case was proven against an accused adding that the case pending for 10 years would be solved soon.

Zahid Hamid said that establishment of a transparent accountability commission was also a part of the Charter of Democracy signed by the PML-N and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

In a written reply, he said the NAB regional offices had finalised a number of corruption cases against the government employees during the last five years.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal informed the National Assembly that the Operation Zarb-e-Azb was in its final phase in the North Waziristan Agency (NWA) as announced by the chief of the army staff.

In a written reply to the question regarding the number of militants killed in the operation so far, he said the exact number would be conveyed shortly after confirmation from various field agencies. He said many people had rendered sacrifices during this operation against terrorism.

Jaffar Iqbal said large funds had been allocated for the operation and such sacrifices should be given for national security.

Meanwhile, the government got the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2015 approved, amid a strong protest from the opposition members, towards the end of 29th session of the National Assembly.

Members from the opposition benches created a pandemonium in the House when the government, based on its numerical strength, went ahead with the bill while rejecting all the objections raised by them.

The opposition members raised slogans of ‘No, No’ during a reading of the bill while accusing the government of bulldozing the legislation.

The angry members belonging to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) were opposing the clause of three deputy mayors in the amendment bill for the Islamabad Metropolitan, saying that the concerned clause was not acceptable to them.

PTI member Asad Umar, who won one of two seats from Islamabad in by-elections, was of the view that the PML-N government was not behaving like a democratic party, rather it was giving the feeling of a monarchy.

Talking about a clause of the bill which provides for three deputy mayors for Islamabad, the PTI parliamentarian said the government had broken all the records of violating the Constitution and law.

Dr Nafeesa Shah and Shazia Marri also opposed the legislation saying the clause relating to three deputy mayors for Islamabad was not acceptable to them.

Referring to already-held elections of three deputy mayors, she said the government was taking post-effective approval from the House. “The government is doing legislation after the action has been taken,” she said.

Asif Hasnain of the MQM and Sher Akbar from the JI, while opposing the amendment bill, said three deputy mayors for Islamabad would also be a burden on the national exchequer.

The MQM member said if the government was taking the plea that with three deputy mayors, the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation could perform much better, then there should also be three deputy prime ministers to resolve the country’s problems.

Minister of State for Interior Balighur Rehman, while rejecting the objections raised by the opposition members, said the amendment bill was thoroughly debated in the standing committee meeting. “The clause regarding three deputy mayors was also passed after detailed discussion,” he said.

The statement of objects and reasons of the bill said there was a strong realisation that urban and rural areas of Islamabad Capital Territory had been receiving disproportionate financial resources. “In line with the manifesto of the government, it has been decided to develop political power and decentralise administrative and financial authority to hold accountable the local government in the ICT for an effective delivery of public services at the grassroot level,” it said.

The National Assembly also passed “The National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Bill, 2015” with some amendments from treasury and opposition.

Moved by Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali, the Bill provides for establishment of institutions and enunciation of mechanisms and procedures so as to provide for an effective conservation and efficient use of energy.

Abid Sher Ali said that billions of rupees would be saved through conservation of energy adding that there was no ambiguity in the bill and due procedure was adopted.

Parliamentary Secretary for Interior Marriyum Aurangzeb informed the National Assembly that the National Institute of Health (NIH) with the collaboration of Capital Development Authority has already started early season trimming of all trees, including paper mulberry responsible for pollen allergy.

Responding on the behalf of Minister for National Health Services Regulations and Coordination to a calling attention notice raised by Khalida Mansoor and others regarding inaction by the government to stop the disease of pollen allergy in Islamabad, she said the government has fully equipped a laboratory at the NIH besides deputing doctors and paramedic staff to deal with the pollen allergy patients.

She said a significant decrease has been reported in the number of pollen allergy patients owing to the steps taken by the government.