Amraiz Khan
Panel of Chairman has taken notice of the absence of Secretary Local Government during questions hours in Punjab Assembly on Tuesday. Why the secretary of the concerned department is not present, he demanded.
Parliamentary Secretary Ahmed Khan Bhachar replied in the House that Secretary Local Government has gone Islamabad due to which is not present in the meeting. There is a ruling of the Speaker that the concerned secretary must be present during Question Hour, Samiullah Khan discussed the point of objection.
Provincial Law Minister Raja Basharat assured the house of disciplinary action against the officers responsible and absent.
The secretary should have been present in the assembly, Law Minister Raja Basharat said and assured the House that strict action will be taken against the concerned secretary. Not only against the secretary but also if he does not come, the relevant additional secretary will be suspended, Raja Basharat maintained. The opposition demanded suspension of question hour in the absence of the Secretary and Additional Secretary.
The issue of non-response in time by the concerned departments of the Punjab Assembly PPP member Syed Usman Mahmood demanded a time limit for answering questions. Honorable members have the right to have their questions answered by the departments within the stipulated time. Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Ahmad Khan Bhachar supported Syed Usman Mahmood, an opposition member, for not answering the question.
Panel of Chairman, you should give the rolling so that the reply can come on time, Ahmad Khan Bhachar demanded in the House. He said that member’s questions should be answered on time. Panel of Chairman should set time for reply so that check and balance should be maintained. The Panel of Chairman directed the Honorable Members to reply within the stipulated time under Assembly Rules 54.
