PESHAWAR: The opposition in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Friday said the provincial cabinet was illegal and unconstitutional as it was oversized.
On a point of order, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lawmaker Ahmad Kundi questioned the recent expansion of the cabinet. He said under the Constitution, the cabinet should not exceed 16 members, including the chief minister while its present strength was 17.
The opposition lawmaker from Dera Ismail Khan said after the 18th Amendment, the cabinet should consist of 11 percent of the total membership of the House which comes out to be 15.8 but the present cabinet comprises of 17 members including the chief minister.
“It is unconstitutional and thus all the decisions made by the cabinet are illegal,” he said. He asked the speaker not to run the assembly proceedings with an illegal cabinet. Khushdil Khan of the Awami National Party (ANP) supported Ahmad Kundi, saying the total strength of members in the House is 145 and the maximum cabinet strength should be 16 as per the set formula of 11 percent.
The opposition parliamentary leader Akram Khan Durrani criticized the government and said the chief minister and ministers were incompetent and not aware of even the constitutional position of the cabinet.
Law Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan defended the size of the cabinet and argued that the actual cabinet had 16 members as one minister did not have a portfolio. Minister for Labour and Culture Shaukat Yousafzai said the case had been sent to the advocate-general and the matter would be solved according to the Constitution by Monday.
The opposition lawmakers asked the KP Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani to stop the assembly proceedings as the ministers’ participation in the proceedings was illegal. However, the speaker ruled that the assembly could be run and continue its proceedings as it was not a cabinet meeting and the advocate-general would clear the position on Monday.
The adjournment motion of Inayatullah Khan of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) about the alleged irregularities in recruitment through the National Testing Service was admitted for a detailed discussion.
Law Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan, who was made a minister recently, introduced the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Probation and Parole Bill, 2021 in the House. His resolution under Article 144 asking the parliament to do legislation for the establishment of an Ulema Council for sectarian harmony was passed with a majority even though the opposition opposed it.
Nazir Abbasi’s resolution demanding Hindko should be given the status of parliamentary language was also passed unanimously. The resolution by Humera Khatoon of JI asking the federal government to immediately withdraw the Neelum-Jhelum surcharge from electricity bills was adopted unanimously.
Later, speaking on his adjournment motion Akram Khan Durrani challenged the government to prove anything wrong against him if it believed he had made any illegal land allotments in his native Bannu. The assembly session was adjourned till Monday.
