Punjab Assembly observes 'Pending Day'.

Byline: Mubashir Hassan

LAHORE -- Punjab government's indecision on appointment of parliamentary secretaries is affecting the smooth disposal of assembly business since inception of the new legislature.

Under the Assembly Rules of Procedure, a parliamentary secretary is authorised to speak on behalf of the minister in latter's absence from the house.

The treasury on Tuesday faced embarrassment when the house could not dispose of any of the agenda items mainly because the government was yet to appoint the parliamentary secretaries for provincial departments. All the concerned ministers were absent yesterday and the chair had to keep their assembly business pending since no parliamentary secretary was there to answer questions or respond to the resolutions.

The new assembly has entered its fifth month but the government has not been able to announce the parliamentary secretaries for various departments. There are confirmed reports that differences have cropped up between the two coalition partners over their respective shares in these appointments. Also, some legislators from the PTI are not willing to work as parliamentary secretary and demanding ministerial slots instead.

In the given situation, both the speaker and the deputy speaker are left with no choice but to keep the assembly business pending for other days if the concerned ministers are not present to respond to the members' queries. The government is still unmoved on the issue as the pendency of work is increasing manifold with each passing day.

Unmindful of the fact that posts of parliamentary secretaries are yet to be filled, the provincial ministers, on the other hand, have started skipping the assembly sittings, apparently in a bid to avoid the possible grilling by the chair.

They would not come to the house even when they are present in the assembly premises.

During Tuesday's sitting, Minister for Communication and Works (CandW), Mian Mahmoodur Rashid left the house just before start of the Zero Hour knowing well that some business relating to his department was on the agenda. When Sardar...