ISLAMABAD: Most of the items on agenda remained unattended as points of order overshadowed the routine proceedings of National Assembly on Tuesday, the Private Members Day.
Soon after the proceedings of the House started with Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada in chair, some of the earlier items on agenda were taken up within first one hour while remaining quarter past two hours were designated to points of order.
After the top agenda item, the Calling Attention Notice, five private members bills were presented to the House, and whole this business was exhausted in one hour.
Then the plethora of points of orders coming from across the divide consumed all the time despite that some other items of utmost important were on the agenda.
During legislative business, leave was granted to move the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2010, the Compulsory Blood Test of Relatives of Thalassaemia Patients Bill 2010, the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2010, the General Clauses (Amendment) Bill 2010 and the Prisons (Amendment) Bill 2010.
However, three bills by Dr Donia Aziz were deferred due to illness of her father as well as for the Minister’s being abroad.
Though as agreed in House Business Advisory Committee, last one hour of each sitting was designated for points of order, but the members are always seen eager to raise a point whenever they find some space. Even they insist to raise points of order in absence of the concerned ministers, seemingly as they only desire to come their points in media, no matter if there is no response.
Simply seeing the agenda items for Tuesday, it carried resolutions on important issues like decreasing railways deficit, action against government officials enjoying dual nationality, free treatment for poor at federal government hospitals, provision of clean drinking water, control violation of human rights and take steps to develop and promote agriculture.
Similarly, there were five motions under Rule 259 to come up for discussion on important issues like spread of hepatitis, difficulties faced by Hujjaj during Hajj season, prices of sugar, tourism policy and provision of speedy and inexpensive justice.
Two matters of sufficient public important under Rule 87 were also on agenda including ’spreading of fatal diseases from the emission of radiation waves/signals from mobile telephones towers installed in thickly populated areas’ moved by four members and the ‘illegal sale of kidneys and other human organs in the country’ moved by 12 members. But, none could be taken up.
Furthermore, the last item, the Calling Attention Notice could also not be taken up due to non-availability of the Minister for Finance and Revenue.
It has been witnessed most often that members prefer points of order instead of pursuing their important items on the agenda. Though, the government takes notes of most of the points and action as well where required, yet consuming the time, over and above to that has been allocated, sometimes affect the routine business.
Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza and Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi mostly try to run the House under rules though this tendency of the members irks them off and on.
To appreciate the present Parliament particularly treasury benches, who very rare oppose a private members bill and pave way for more and more legislation. Though this Assembly also has to its account, legislation on major and important issues, yet there is need to devise a mechanism to regulate points of orders also ensuring that proper action is taken on the validly raised points.
