NA speaker bans all standing committees meetings

A parliamentary crisis looms after National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Monday banned meetings of all the standing committee of the Lower House convened without the House being in the session in the name of the government’s austerity drive.

According to media reports, the ban on meetings was imposed in an attempt to stop the production orders of the lawmakers who are in custody over corruption charges or other criminal cases.

Earlier in the day, PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari attended a meeting of a standing committee.

It seems the decision was taken to put a stop on such lawmakers’ entrance to the House, minimising the use of production order law.

It was earlier reported the government had stopped the issuance of the production order of two lawmakers, Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N’s Saad Rafique after the chairman of the committee signed them to ensure their participation in the meeting.

Standing Committee on Water Resources Chairman Yousuf Talpur had signed production orders for both the leaders to attend the sessions on July 10 and 11.

The decision to ban meetings was criticised by the opposition leaders.

This comes a week after Prime Minister Imran hinted at an amendment in the laws concerning production orders of the parliamentarians, saying the National Assembly speaker shouldn’t issue orders for the lawmakers who were detained over graft cases and money laundering.

Speaking during the budget session, Imran had said production orders of those involved in money laundering and corruption should not be issued, neither should they be allowed to speak in parliament.