Appointments of opposition leader simplified: Afgan

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s (NA) current procedures for opposition leaders’ appointments are being simplified, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan Khan Niazi said.

The new ‘greatest numerical strength’ formula has been devised to determine who commands the confidence of the majority of opposition members. Speaking to PTV, he said the discretionary powers of the speaker for the opposition leader’s appointment were being curtailed. The speaker would now be obligated to announce the person with the most votes within seven days of the ascertainment of the leader of the house as the opposition leader.

It had also been suggested that elections of all standing committees should be completed within 30 days of the election of house leader. The chairmen of all standing committees would be elected within 30 days of the establishment of standing committees.

Sher Afgan said the 18-member committee he led had been formed to amend the rules of the procedure and conduct of NA. The special parliamentary committee had finalised the amendments and the final report would be presented in NA on February 2. The main purpose of the committee had been to bring discipline into the daily conduct of affairs of the NA because a lack or absence of discipline hampered its functioning.

He said that during the first parliamentary year in 2002, the NA had passed only two bills due to the opposition’s hostile attitude. He said 17 bills had been passed during the last parliamentary year. He added that the rules regarding quorum could not be changed. app

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