Prime Minister’s Office letter: Babar Awan’s role as Parliamentary Affairs Adviser underlined

ISLAMABAD: Twenty days after his re-induction as Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs, Babar Awan’s role has been underlined if an order of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s office is any guide. The missive dated April 24, signed by the Secretary to the premier, Muhammad Azam Khan, a copy of which is available with The News, said that Imran Khan has desired that henceforth, all legislative business of ministries/ divisions in the National Assembly and Senate shall be conducted in coordination with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs. Further necessary action may be taken accordingly. Copies of the letter have been sent to all the ministries and divisions as well as the secretaries of the lower and upper houses of Parliament.

Separate calls were made to Babar Awan and Federal Law Minister Dr Farogh Naseem and text messages were sent to their mobile phones to get their versions, but both chose not to respond.

Generally, the law minister plays the foremost role in critical legislative business in both the houses of Parliament. All the ministries and divisions not only get the drafts of the laws they make vetted by the Law Ministry before their presentation in the Parliament but also let the law minister push their bills through the National Assembly and Senate at an early date.

The role of the parliamentary affairs minister/ adviser (the premier currently is the minister for this portfolio) is traditionally limited because most cabinet members do not attach much credence to him but prefer the constitutional and legal expert – the law minister – to speak for their proposed legislation.

As per the order, the ministries and divisions will coordinate with the adviser.

Under the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the Parliament, the minister or adviser for the parliamentary affairs is required to do the coordination work between the ministries/ divisions and secretaries of the two Houses for the legislative and all other business being brought before the Parliament. He also represents his absenting cabinet colleagues in the transaction of their business in the legislature. When the role of such cabinet member is thus crystal clear, it is not known what necessitated the issuance of the present order. Was the letter released on the request of Babar Awan to pronounce his role?

However, since neither House of Parliament has met since April 20 when Babar Awan was taken as adviser, question for any new legislative business for the Parliament from the ministries and divisions doesn’t arise. Even the chances of early sessions of the two houses are remote in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ways are being discussed to hold physical or virtual sittings. Both Farogh Naseem and Babar Awan are included in the official team that will negotiate with the opposition parties to prepare a consensus draft of amendments in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law. Its other members are Asad Umar, Pervez Khattak and Shahzad Akbar.

There was a time when the law, justice and parliamentary affairs used to be one ministry, presided over by one cabinet member. However, long time ago the parliamentary affairs was separated from the law and justice and an independent minister/ minister of state/ adviser is inducted for it. The rules of procedure and conduct of business in the Parliament are yet to be amended to the effect.