The government received ire of opposition parties over the absence of Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari, who was to preside over 6th session of the Punjab Assembly, on Monday. A senior PTI’s MPA from Rahim Yar Khan Mian Shafi Muhammad sat at the speaker’s chair and ordered the assembly secretary to announce the panel of chairman (PoC), saying that the PoC might preside over the session in the absence of both speaker and deputy speaker. At this, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPAs, including Malik Ahmed Khan, Azma Bukhari, Waris Kallu, Samiullah Khan argued that only speaker or deputy speaker were authorised to ask the secretary to announce the PoC. “The sitting will be in violation of rules of business of Punjab Assembly as it has been clearly mentioned in rule 13 the criteria of PoC,” said PML-N’s Malik Ahmed Khan, who was insisting that no other member except speaker or deputy speaker could announce the PoC at the commencement of a session. The PoC is a panel of not more than four MPAs, who may preside over the session in the absence of speaker or deputy speaker when the session is in progress. Law Minister Raja Basharat said that Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had taken the charge of acting governor as Chaudhry Sarwar was abroad. He said that the deputy speaker should have chaired the session but added that any member from PoC could preside over the sitting in the absence of the former. PML-N’s Azma Bukhari said that the House could not be run according to the wish of anyone. MPA Waris Kallu said that the proceeding, if held, would be a violation of rules. Law Minister Raja Basharat said that the speaker had authorised Mian Shafi to preside over the session. Former speaker and MPA Rana Iqbal asked the assembly secretary to announce the PoC again and he did so. A motion was then moved by the law minister authorizing Mian Shafi to chair the session that was approved. PPP Parliamentary Leader Syed Hassan Murtaza asked the chairman to give a ruling to nullify all the earlier proceedings of the day, saying it was completely illegal. Published in Daily Times, January 8th 2019