Punjab Assembly’s powers clipped, independent status abolished

The government has abolished the “independent status” of the Punjab Assembly bringing it under the domain of the Law Department, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Clipping its powers, the Punjab Assembly has again been made Law Department’s special institute and from now on the Law Department will issue all the notifications concerning the Punjab Assembly.

Punjab Assembly Secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti’s services have also been handed over to the Law Department.

Muhammad Khan Bhatti has been serving as Secretary, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab since 2008. 

Later, Punjab government spokesman Ataullah Tarar said that now the Punjab Assembly (PA) speaker had been stripped off his powers to punish civil bureaucrats.  

Addressing a press conference along with another PML-N leader Malik Ahmed Khan in Lahore, Tarar said similarly from now onwards no journalist could either be barred from entering the assembly’s building or punished. “Similarly, whenever the governor will call the assembly’s session, the law secretary will issue the notification,” he added.

He went on to add that the PML-N had nothing to get out of presentation of the budget. “It is only because we don’t want the people of Punjab to suffer that the session had been convened,” he clarified. 

Killing three birds with one stone, Tarar said the government has repealed the above-mentioned three ordinances through issuance of one ordinance.

Tarar said that PTI had linked holding of the assembly’s budget session with the withdrawal of cases registered against them. 

Tarar also invited Speaker Pervaiz Elahi to come to the Aiwan-e-Iqbal and chair the session called by the governor.

Speaking on the occasion, Malik Ahmed Khan held PA Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s ego responsible for delays in the start of the budget session.

Reporter Qaiser Khokhar