AZIZ BUNERI
The proceedings of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday were adjourned for a day due to the lack of quorum in the house.
The provincial assembly resumed proceedings after a break of two days with Deputy Speaker Dr Meher Taj Roghani in the chair. After recitation from Holy Qur’aan, the house offered fateha for the departed souls of a traffic incident in Havelian, which claimed the lives of five women teachers while three others were injured.
After the offering of fateha for the victims of the traffic incident, Shiraz Mahmood of PML-N took the floor to pinpoint the lack of quorum and the Deputy Speaker Dr Meher Taj Roghani directed the counting and after finding the house in disorder, she adjourned the proceedings for three minutes.
After the passage of the specified period, the deputy speaker resumed the proceedings and announced the applicants for leave. Provincial Minister for Culture Mahmood Khan tabled the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Censorship of Motion and Pictures (Films, CDs, videos, stage dramas and shows) Bill, 2016 for consideration. However, Special Assistant to CM on Industries Abdul Karim Khan objected to the passage of the bill and proposed the referring of the draft law to the select committee of the house.
The house agreed with the proposal and the deputy speaker announced the referral of the bill to the select committee.
Later, Provincial Minister for Mineral Development Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli presented the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Bill, 2016 for passage. But, at the same time, Shiraz Mahmood once again surprised the house with pinpointing the lack of quorum in the house leaving the deputy speaker with no other option than going for counting the number of the members in the house. Once again the house was found in disorder and she adjourned the proceedings for ten minutes.
Highly perturbed by the situation, the deputy speaker sent a delegation comprising Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, Shah Farman and Fozia to persuade the opposition members sitting in the side room for participation in the proceedings.
However, the delegation of the treasury benches failed to bring them back to the house and the deputy speaker adjourned the proceedings of the house till 2pm next day (Tuesday).
