Daily Times

Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has said that only the speaker can prorogue the assembly session summoned by him as per the Rules of Procedure of the Punjab Assembly and nobody else has powers to do so. Speaking during the 41st session of the Punjab Assembly at the Assembly chambers here on Wednesday, he said Punjab Assembly is a constitutional institution and weakening it through political tug-of-war tantamount to losing political clout. Only the opposition members attended the session. The treasury members had abstained the session after Governor Punjab Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman prorogued the 40th session on Tuesday evening and summoned the 41st session of the 17th Punjab Assembly to present budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 at the Aiwan-e-Iqbal on Wednesday. Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi convened the session under powers delegated to him under Article 54 section 3 of the constitution of Pakistan on the requisition of the opposition members submitted on June 14, 2022 to call the house. The Speaker had summoned the session for June 15 at 1 pm. The session was notified by the Secretary Assembly on June 14 under Rule 3 & 4 of Punjab Assembly’s Rules of Procedure 1997 of summoning and prorogation of the session.

The Chair noted that the session was held at the assembly chambers under the law while any other session outside the assembly chambers was unlawful. The Speaker said the government had tried to usurp powers of the provincial legislature with the help of Governor Punjab.

Earlier, Opposition MPA Dr. Yasmin Rashid tabled a privilege motion to denounce uncivilized gesture of pointing fingers at the women parliamentarians by the Provincial Minister Ataullah Tarar during the budget session the other day. Opposition leader in the PA Sibtain Khan, Deputy Opposition Leaders Raja Basharat and Mian Aslam Iqbal, PTI Parliamentary leader Mian Mehmoodur Reasheed and other spoke on the privilege motion. The house also adopted a resolution under article 128 of the Constitution of Pakistan to set aside ordinance passed by the Governor to curtail powers of the Punjab Assembly. Deputy Opposition Leader Raja Basharat said the autonomous status of the assembly has been restored after repealing of the ordinance. The house offered Fateha for the departed souls of Malik Maqsood Awan and former Director FIA Dr. Rizwan. Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi adjourned the session for June 16 (Thursday) at 1 pm.