Thursday, March 28, 2024

NA speaker Asad Qaiser bans all standing committees meetings

NA speaker Asad Qaiser bans all standing committees meetings
July 9, 2019
ISLAMABAD (92 News) – National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser took a unique decision to stop the production orders for prisoners of assembly members. A parliamentary crisis looms after Asad Qaiser banned meetings of all the standing committee of the Lower House convened without the House being in the session in the name of the government’s austerity drive. The ban on meetings was imposed in an attempt to stop the production orders of the lawmakers who are in custody over corruption charges or other criminal cases. The sources said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had stopped the issuance of the production order of lawmakers including Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N’s Saad Rafique after the chairman of the committee signed them to ensure their participation in the meeting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlmYk5wk3Z4 Earlier in the day, PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari attended a meeting of a standing committee. It seems the decision was taken to put a stop on such lawmakers’ entrance to the House, minimizing the use of production order law. Standing Committee on Water Resources Chairman Yousuf Talpur had signed production orders for both the leaders to attend the sessions on July 10 and 11. This comes a week after Prime Minister Imran hinted at an amendment in the laws concerning production orders of the parliamentarians, saying the National Assembly speaker shouldn’t issue orders for the lawmakers who were detained over graft cases and money laundering. Earlier, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar issued production orders for PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique. Both the leaders will participate in today’s budget session. Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari raised his voice for not issuing the production orders of former president Asif Ali Zardari and other lawmakers. Addressing on the floor of the House, the PPP chairman demanded National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser to issue production order of Zardari so that he can also participate in the parliament proceedings.