Most KP cabinet members remain absent from KP Assembly

PESHAWAR: Lack of interest on the part of treasury benches and absence of provincial ministers and advisors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday compelled the opposition members to pass on their questions, motions and call attention notices to the relevant committees.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly resumed its business on Monday with Deputy Speaker Mehmood Jan in the chair seven days ahead of its scheduled time as the assembly session was earlier adjourned till May 30.

During the question-hours, two of the questions raised by the opposition parties' members were referred to the House committee concerned when no ministers, advisors or special assistants to chief ministers were ready to respond to the queries which related to Transport and Social Welfare departments.

Similarly, a question whose answer was sought by Pakistan People’s Party member in provincial assembly, was deferred as she said that the answer was not given in time. The lawmaker had a raised question about the auction of scrapped and damaged vehicles under the custody of the Administration Department.

A call-attention notice jointly moved by Nighat Orakzai , Shagufta Malik and Mian Nisar Gul faced no opposition. It related to the recruitment of 481 nursing staff in the merged tribal districts.

The movers said the recruitment and approval process of these nurses had been completed some nine months back. The health minister had assured the House that the issue would be resolved within a week but the nurses were yet to be appointed to these posts.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Shaukat Yusufzai told the House that the government had no objection to the recruitment and wanted successful candidates appointed at the earliest. The deputy speaker then referred the call attention notices to the House committee to expedite the process.

The concerned opposition members asked the government to devise a proper policy and mechanism to control the sky-rocketing prices of life-saving drugs and medicines, laboratory tests and other items used in the medical treatment and prevention of common diseases.

The identical adjournment motion was approved for general discussion tabled by Jamaat-e-Islami lawmakers Inayatullah Khan, Sirajud Din and Humaira Khatoon.

Earlier, the treasury benches presented an amendment bill related to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Le Sail O Mahroom Foundation; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Motor Vehicles; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Transgender Persons Welfare Endowment Fund Bill 2022 in the House.

The session was adjourned till May 30.