Petty issues necessitating no indulgence of parliamentary panel, resources

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel takes up “questions of privilege” of the members of the National Assembly that raise petty matters meriting its precious time and resources.

Instances of minor issues agitated by the members belonging to the PTI and PML-N have been listed in the agenda of the scheduled meeting of the Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges on Aug 7. The question of privilege moved by PTI member from Layyah Abdul Majeed Niazi was that Liaquat Ali Tarar, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Tehsil Karror Lal Aison, District Layyah, failed to resolve the critical issues of the public, doesn’t respond well to him and is not willing to listen to the facts of the public complaints.

Separately, Niazi also complained that Muhammad Ramzan, sub-inspector, the investigation officer, Police Station, Karror Lal Wason, District Layyah, did not resolve people’s issues, also doesn’t respond well to the MP and is unwilling to listen to the facts of the public complaints.

The question of privilege raised by Ataullah, PTI member from Karachi that he had taken up in the National Assembly in October 2019 was that the Managing Director of the Water Board Karachi did not respond to his telephone calls. He also complained that Hamayun Sagheer, Regional Head, K-Electric, did not attend his telephone calls. PML-N member Imran Ahmed Shah agitated the question of privilege, complaining that he was not allowed to take his hand carry in the airplane by the PIA staff. But, he said, after he deposited the Rs5,800 fee, he was permitted to take his hand carry in the plane. He was travelling from Lahore to Islamabad. PML-N MP Murtaza Javed Abbasi’s question of privilege was regarding non-response to his letter and non-redressal of grievance of the people of his Abbottabad constituency by the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL). He further complained that the SNGPL allowed an unelected individual to inaugurate a gas supply scheme in village Bandi Atti Khan (Abbottabad). Independent MP from Sindh Ali Nawaz Shah raised a question of privilege against Sindh’s Education Secretary Zia Memon, Deputy Commissioner, Mirpur Khas, and Shafiq, Chief Municipal Officer, Mirpur Khas.

The agenda did not mention the issue that irked the lawmaker. PML-N legislator from Sargodha Hamid Hameed complained non-supply of details of a question regarding appointments of persons who were on the payroll of Pakistan Cricket Board along with their monthly pay, perks and privileges. None of these listed issues that annoyed the MPs talked about any national matter. All these questions of privilege, which can be easily resolved without the involvement of the National Assembly and subsequently concerned parliamentary panels, pertained to personal complaints against uncooperative bureaucracy.