Hasba Bill tabled again in NWFP PA
Bureau Report
PESHAWAR—NWFP government has tabled an amended draft of Hasba Bill in
the provincial assembly on Monday. Provincial law minister Malik Zafar
Azam introduced the bill in provincial legislature.
Peoples Party-Parliamentarians parliamentary leader Abdul Akbar Khan
stood to talk on a point of order after the bill was presented in the
house but the speaker didn’t allow him.
Noisy scenes were seen in the house after speaker’s denial and
opposition members thrown copies of the bill, while treasury members
also responded with heated arguments and criticism over the opposition.
Speaker Bakht Jahan Khan adjourned the house for Tuesday morning after
the uproar.
Provincial Law Minister Malik Zafar Azam talking with newsmen, said the
supreme court in its verdict on the constitutionality of the Hasba Bill
objected some clauses of the bill and declared them unconstitutional.
Those clauses have been deleted from the bill, so the opposition parties
have no justification to oppose the bill.
Meanwhile, opposition parties in the assembly have vehemently opposed
the draft of Hasba Bill declaring it illegal and unconstitutional.
Joint Opposition in the NWFP Assembly bitterly criticized a new Hasba
bill tabled by the provincial government on Monday and said the
controversial move was made at a time when the country needs unity in
the wake of the devastating earthquake.
The nation needs unity more than anything else as it is battling the
aftermath of the natural disaster, the opposition members stressed.
Leader of the Opposition Shehzada Gustasip Khan and Parliamentary leader
of PPPP, Abdul Akbar Khan, termed the provincial government move an open
violation of the Constitution.
They said the opposition was not allowed to raise a legal point against
Hasba bill during Monday’s session. The new Hasba bill should not be
presented unless the previous one was withdrawn and said that the
government is resorting to politics of power and is adamant in bringing
a parallel judicial system in the province, they added.
Parliamentary leader of PML Mushtaq Ghani said that given the situation
prevalent in the country due to the massive earthquake and large number
of deaths and injuries, the assembly should ponder over relief and
rehabilitation operations and not on insignificant issues.
He said that the ruling MMA is not interested in the relief and
rehabilitation activities and is holding on to its adamant stance on the
Hasba bill adding that prior to that a bill on Madaris Registration was
presented in the assembly. Mushtaq Ghani said if the controversial
clauses were removed from the Hasba bill in accordance with the decision
of the Supreme Court then it would be nothing more than creating a
mechanism like an employment exchange.
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