KP Assembly echoes with ‘go Imran go’ slogans

Minister’s absence irks MPA seeking answer to question

PESHAWAR: The treasury benches in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly faced tough time on Friday as the House echoed with the slogans of ‘go Imran go.”

As Deputy Speaker Dr Mehr Taj Roghani, who presided over the session, started the proceedings with the Question Hour, members from the opposition lashed out at the government for its lack of interest in the assembly business as no concerned minister, advisor or parliamentary secretary was present to answer the questions.

Muhammad Ali of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), a coalition partner in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led provincial government, said it was ironic that his question about the forest royalty in Dir, Swat and Kohistan was made part of the agenda after eight months, but the minister concerned was not present in the House to answer it.

He asked the speaker to keep his question pending for the next day as it was meant for public interest.  He said that the ministers in almost all governments didn’t have the experience and knowhow about their departments.

Speaking on the question, Syed Jaffar Shah of the Awami National Party (ANP) said it was shocking to know that the forest funds were diverted to the ‘Billion Tree Tsunami’ project.  He said it amounted to depriving the people of their rights. He added that the question should be referred to the concerned committee.

Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha, parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), said the salary of the minister concerned should be stopped for ‘insulting’ the House.In his reply, the only parliamentary secretary present in the House, PTI’s Fazle Elahi asked the mover to sit with him to find a solution to the issue.

However, the mover as well as Finance Minister Muzaffar Sayyid, also belonging to the Jamaat-i-Islami, pleaded that the question should be kept pending for another day. It was, therefore, deferred to the next day’s proceedings.

Another question posed by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s Syed Sardar Hussain about the firewood quota for the people of Chitral was also referred to the concerned committee.

Salim Khan of PPP said it was an important issue as the quota fixed 30 years ago was insufficient and it should be increased in accordance with the population growth.

The question asked by PPP’s Sahibzada Sanaullah about recruitment in the Forest Department put the parliamentary secretary in hot waters as he failed to satisfy the mover.Bakht Baidar of Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) said that merit was violated in the recruitment process.

However, parliamentary secretary Fazle Elahi claimed the recruitment was made on merit and it was the PTI-led government that saved forests and took action against the timber mafia.He said the previous PPP-ANP government had approved cutting of eight million trees at Arandu in Chitral, but the incumbent setup saved the trees.

The debate over Sahibzada Sanaullah’s question was going on when Meraj Humayun Khan of QWP pointed out the lack of quorum leading to a rumpus in the House and shouting of ‘go Imran go’ slogans by the opposition members.

Fazle Elahi retaliated, but he was alone in the House as PTI’s coalition partners remained silent spectators to the whole affair and the speaker had to adjourn the session till Tuesday.Interestingly, Nargis Ali of PTI had pointed out the lack of quorum just after recitation from the Holy Quran and the speaker had asked for ringing the bills as there were only 28 members in the House including two of QWP, six of Jamaat-i-Islami and four women lawmakers of the PTI. However, after ringing of the bills some more lawmakers entered the assembly hall and the quorum was completed.