PESHAWAR: Important policy documents and reports submitted to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly for discussion end up in the waste bin due to the disinterest of lawmakers.

The laying of documents, including a report on the observance of Principles of Policy submitted by the governor, has become a futile exerciseas the policy matters never come up for discussion on the floor of the house.

An official of the provincial assembly secretariat told Dawn that the policy documents and reports were laid before the assembly by the ministers concerned but most members didn’t even touch them.

Official says production of reports formality, members don’t even touch them

He said the reports of the auditor general of Pakistan, which were related to the accounts of the province, were referred to the house’s public accounts committee for discussion.

“Presentation of these reports has become only a formality and lawmakers do not bother to open these reports,” said an official, who is dealing with parliamentary affairs.

The official said earlier, the reports were regularly discussed in the assembly, while recommendations of the members were used for legislation.

The laying of four reports, including the Observance of Principles of Policy, recommendations of National Finance Commission and reports of Auditor-General and the Council of Islamic Ideology, in the provincial assembly is a constitutional requirement.

Article 29(3) of the Constitution says the governor of each province in relation to the affairs of his province shall cause to be prepared and laid before the provincial assembly a report on the observance and implementation of the Principles of Policy, as the case may be, the Provincial Assembly, for discussion on such report.

Officials said the governor gave guidelines to the government regarding governance, financial management, rights of religious minorities, women rights, social justice, health, education and other important matters through Principle of Policy.

They said the previous governments followed the recommendations of the house after extensive debate in the assembly.

According to the official documents, the report on the Observance and Implementation of Principles of Policy for 2016 was laid before the assembly in Jan 2018 but no discussion was held on it.

The report for 2017 was tabled in the assembly in Feb 2018 for discussion.

Officials said the report was not discussed in the house.

Under rules 197 and 199 of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Procedure and Conduct of Business Rules, 1988, the recommendations of the NFC and Report of Council of Islamic Ideology are also laid before the assembly but no discussion is held.

Rule 200(1) states after a report referred to in rules 196, 197, 198 or 1999 is laid before the assembly, the speaker shall fix a date for its discussion. Despite repeated contacts Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani was not available for comments.

Minister for law and parliamentary affairs Sultan Mohammad Khan told Dawn that the government was fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities and regularly tabled the reports in the assembly but it couldn’t force members to hold debate on it.

He said lawmakers were supposed to discuss important points mentioned in the reports and make recommendations.

“The government can’t force lawmakers to speak on these reports,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2019