04 January 2005	Tuesday	22 Ziqa'ad 1425

ISLAMABAD, Jan 3: Parliamentary leader of the People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) in the Senate Raza Rabbani has submitted two amendments to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate 1988 seeking inclusion of "Public Issue Time" and "Prime Minister's Question Hour," a source told Dawn here on Monday.

The source said through the amendment, Mr Rabbani had called for insertion of a new Rule 207-A after Rule 207 seeking allocation of first half hour for members to raise "public issues".

The new proposed Rule 207-A states: "In every sitting of the Senate, except Monday, immediately after the leave applications have been disposed of, the first half hour is allocated for members to raise public issues of urgent importance.

A minister may respond at once or shall place a written response on the table of the Senate the following day unless otherwise directed by the chairman." Similarly, through another amendment, Mr Rabbani has suggested insertion of a new Rule 38-A in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate 1988 seeking allocation of one hour in a week as "Prime Minister's Question Hour."

The new proposed Rule 38-A states: "In every session that exceeds seven days there shall be one hour designated on a day by the chairman in consultation with the prime minister, which shall be called Prime Minister's Question Hour."

When contacted, Mr Rabbani regretted that these amendments had been submitted four months ago and these had been lying pending before the standing committee concerned for the past almost two months and no discussion had taken place on it.

Giving reasons for moving the amendments, the PPP senator said at present the opposition members had been forced to raise important issues on points of order as the chairman was constantly killing their motions, resolutions and questions.

He said under the present rules, a minister was not bound to give reply to a member on any point of order. Therefore, he said, he had suggested the new rule so that the minister would be bound to give reply of questions raised by members through points of order. Moreover, he said, when the minister would give reply in writing it would become a part of official record.