Opposition 'unable' to requisition PA session: Doubtful loyalties
By Ashraf Mumtaz
LAHORE, June 9: Exiled former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif has been informed by some leaders of his party that three MPAs elected on the PML-N ticket are in contact with the Punjab government and may change their loyalties any time.
In response, Mr Sharif has directed the relevant people to take appropriate steps to prevent defections and improve party's performance in the legislature.
The lawmakers who have reportedly developed links with the government belong to Lahore, Faisalabad and Jhelum. A female legislator from Lahore, it is said, is in contact with the leadership of the ruling party and some time back invited a minister to her residence.
The PML-N is keeping a watchful eye on its members in the provincial legislature who have a soft corner for the government and are not playing their due role in the assembly.
Some PPP legislators are also said to be in contact with the ruling party, because of which the opposition is not in a position to play an effective role commensurate with their numerical strength in the house.
Together, the PML-N and the PPP had 108 members in the Punjab Assembly and were in a position to requisition a session on any important issue for which purpose 93 MPAs are required to sign the notice.
The present strength of the two parties is 102 after half a dozen broke ranks on various occasions. Though this strength is sufficient to requisition a session, both the major parties did not take such a step during the past three months because they knew that some people in their ranks would "backstab" them and provide an opportunity to the ruling party to condemn them.
It is said that the PML-N wanted to requisition a session of the Punjab Assembly when former chief minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif announced that he would return to Pakistan. The purpose was to highlight the matter in the house on May 11, when Mr Shahbaz landed at Lahore airport, or a few days before or after the day.But the requisition plan was dropped because the PML-N apprehended its legislators who have secret links with the ruling party or have soft corner with it would damage the cause.
The party feared that such people would deliberately stay away from the house, or delay their arrival, to provide the speaker an opportunity to prorogue the requisitioned session immediately after its commencement for lack of quorum.
In a requisitioned session it is for the opposition to keep the house in quorum. And in case somebody points out that members are not present in the required strength, the speaker has to adjourn and then prorogue it according to a laid down procedure.
The opposition had experienced such a situation some months back when a requisitioned session was adjourned sine die for lack of quorum. They were condemned for causing a huge financial loss to the exchequer. A single day session entitles all legislators to claim allowances for seven days -- three days before and after the session.
