Ministers’ absence: 5 out of 9 questions referred to PA committees

Wisal Yousafzai

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government faced severe criticism from the Opposition members due to absence of minister during the Question Hour and also incomplete answers given by the government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday.

The session started with Deputy Speaker Dr Mehr Taj Roghani in chair. During the Question Hour five out of nine questions were referred to the committees concerned.

Showing concern over the incomplete reply to her question, PML-N MPA Sobia Shahid Sobia said that despite the executive order issued by Chief Minister to ban the sale of plastic shopping bags in the province the bags were in regular use.

Minister for Law Imtiaz Shahid Quarashi replying to the question said that the government already made committee under MPA Shukat Yousafzai which presented its recommendations in consultation with all the stakeholder to ban the use of the bags. Parliamentary Leader of PML-N in KP Assembly, Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha speaking on the occasion said that the ban by CM was made on June 22, 2017 which was never implemented.

Taking part in the debate, Qaumi Watan’s Party Anisa Zeb said that it was strange that an executive order was not implemented. She said that the plastic bags were one of the main causes of the chocked sewerage system and asked that the government had not provided any information if who was punished for the use of such bags.

Despite the reply of the law minister Sobia Shahid was not satisfied and Deputy Speaker referred the question to the committee concerned.

MPA Amna Sardar speaking on the floor of the House regarding her question on Labour Laws said that the government had failed to conduct the survey of Child Labour due to which no actual data was available. She requested that her question may be referred to the committee. The government also showed no objection and the question was referred to the committee.

In reply to a question of MPA Malik Noor Salim the provincial assembly was informed that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government received Rs. 4319.851 million from the federal government for the Workers Welfare Board under the head of annual grant from 2014 to 2016 out of which Rs3512.527 million were spent.

MPA Noor Salim requested the Deputy Speaker that due to insufficient reply and absence of the minister concerned the question may be referred to the committee. The Deputy Speaker referred the question to the concerned committee.

In reply to another question from MPA Noor Salim it was informed that after 2013 as many as 767 contractual employees were sacked on the directives of Islamabad. Similarly, 165 more employees were sacked from services due to different reasons.

 

To another question of MPA Noor Salim regarding appointments in WWB after the year 2013, it was informed in written reply that only one teacher and 20 Class-IV employees were appointed and nobody was promoted.