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Tuesday March 19, 2024

Punjab PA empowers speaker to issue production order

By Faizan Bangash
January 15, 2019

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly on Monday unanimously empowered the Speaker through Amendment to Rules of Procedure to issue Production Order of the MPA.

Like the National Assembly and other provincial assemblies, Punjab Assembly Speaker has been empowered to summon the member in custody to attend a sitting or sittings of the Assembly. The PA Speaker was empowered to issue the Production Order through an Amendment of Rule 79.

Under the fresh rule, that is 79-A (1), “the Speaker may, of his own motion or on the written request of a member in custody on the charge of a non-bailable offence, summon the member to attend a sitting or sittings of the Assembly, if the Speaker considers the presence of such member necessary.

Rule 79-A (2) states that on a Production order under sub rule (1), signed by the secretary or by any other officer authorised on this behalf, addressed to the government or the authority where the member is held in the custody, the government or such authority shall cause the member in custody to be produced before the Serjeant-at-Arms, who shall, after the conclusion of the sitting, deliver the member, into the custody of the government or the authority concerned.”

Motion was moved by Law Minister Basharat Raja and members across the divide expressed support to it. This is noteworthy that currently, the Opposition MPA Khawaja Salman Rafique is in the custody of NAB and under the previous rules, the PA Speaker wasn’t authorised to issue Production Order of the member. Now with the fresh amendment, it is very much likely that Khawaja Salman Rafique, the detained PML-N MPA may get Production Order and attend the ongoing and upcoming assembly sessions.

Expressing his gratitude to Punjab Assembly Speaker, Opposition leader in PA Hamza Shahbaz stated that it was very pleasant to see that members across the divide had favoured this amendment. He stated that the House comprised of the ‘political people’ and it was necessary to strengthen and empower the assembly. Assuring his complete cooperation in any move meant for strengthening parliament, Hamza Shahbaz stated that Opposition would join hands with the government.

Addressing the chair, he cited the example of Rescue 1122 and stated this project was initiated by Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and the PML-N continued this legacy adding both sides deserved this credit.

He requested the chair to issue the Production Order of detained PML-N MPA Khawaja Salman Rafique. Saeed Akber Niwani, the senior most MPA of the House who represents the Treasury benches while speaking on the floor of the House termed the day historic.

Lauding Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi for playing a true role as the Custodian of the House, Saeed Niwani said the chair had honoured its commitment to strengthen the House and restore its dignity.

He said when the issue related to the Production Order was taken up, he himself studied the Rules of Procedure but there was no law that could permit the PA Speaker to summon a detained MPA. Niwani, who has returned to the Punjab Assembly for 8th term, went on to say that it was necessary to amend the existing rules which had been done.

He appreciated the Speaker for launching a project like Rescue 1122 in his tenure as Punjab Chief Minister and stated that several lives had been secured due to this initiative. He also appreciated the chair seeking the ‘sense of House’ over legislation.

Pervaiz Elahi stated that the entire Punjab Assembly deserved the credit for this development and revealed that Prime Minister Imran Khan himself instructed his party to empower the chair to issue Production Order. He said it was the first step towards the empowerment of Parliament and admitted that without the cooperation of Opposition, it was impossible to move ahead. PA passes one bill, two made pending

Punjab Assembly on Monday passed the Punjab Right to Public Service Bill 2018 with majority vote after all the proposed amendment by Opposition were rejected.

However, two more bills on agenda, including the Punjab Domestic Workers Bill 2018 and the Punjab Prevention of Conflict of Interest Bill 2018 were made pending after the Speaker instructed the Law Minister to ensure proper input of Opposition in them.