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| November 17, 2005 | Thursday | Shawwal 14, 1426 |
PML MPA’s scathing attack on treasury
LAHORE, Nov 16: The treasury again had to face embarrassment in the house on Wednesday when Najaf Sial from Jhang started criticizing cabinet members for showing least interest in house proceedings. Najaf Sial, who pointed out lack of quorum, became the first ruling party member in the three-year history of the incumbent house to create an awkward situation for the treasury which could not complete the quorum despite hectic efforts.
Health minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed had just given his policy statement to open the house for general discussion on his department, when Mr Sial, after PML-N Sheikh Ijaz Ahmad, took the floor on a point of order and started criticizing former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif for introducing entrance test for admission to medical colleges.
Sheikh Ijaz had praised the former chief minister for introducing the medical entry test system “to ensure merit” in admissions to medical colleges.
Sial said if Mr Sharif had been sincere in curbing the use of unfair means for getting good marks, he could have overcome the problem by eradicating ‘booti’ mafia and “auction” of examination centres instead of imposing a ‘super’ exam.
Then referring to low attendance in the house, he said there were over 150 ministers, parliamentary secretaries and standing committee chairpersons but it was shameful that except for seven ministers none was present.
He also lamented that out of 70 only 17 women legislators were attending the house proceedings.
He said that if ministers continued to be absented from the house, MPAs would follow the suit.
Deputy speaker Shaukat Husain Mazari, while chairing the house, tried to calm down Sial by pointing out that the attendance in House of Commons (UK) was mostly even lower than being witnessed here.
He said elected representatives not only attended sessions but also allocated time to constituents and it was in conformity with parliamentary norms.
On this, Sial said he too met constituents earlier in the morning but he came to the house by 11am.
Saying this he pointed out lack of quorum and walked out of the house with opposition members following him.
The chair sought a head countand finding Mr Sial right it suspended the proceedings and directed ringing of bells for five minutes.
Ruling party MPs rushed to galleries and managed to bring in some MPAs, including the ones belonging to the opposition.
But the quorum problem sustained. The chair first adjourned the proceedings for half an hour and then for Thursday morning. Talking to reporters after staging a walkout from the house, Najaf also criticized Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi for overburdening the exchequer with a brigade of ministers, parliamentary secretaries and standing committees chairpersons.
He said he was not obliged to anyone for his election as an MPA for he had made through with the power of vote.
“I am a soldier of Gen Pervez Musharraf and Chaudhrys are just my friends.”
He said if he was served with any show case notice for his attitude, he would quit the party.
He regretted that most of the ministers and parliamentary secretaries were unaware of the working of their departments though they were enjoying all perks and privileges.
Parliamentary affairs secretary Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan said those who did not attend the current session should resign from their offices.
He denied that he along with Najaf was working to form some sort of forward bloc.
GENERAL DISCUSSION: Earlier, opening the general discussion, the health minister said the present government had increased healthcare budget from Rs600 million to Rs3.3 billion in three years with improvement in budget utilization ratio from 43 percent to 90 per cent.
He said emergency wards in teaching hospitals of Punjab were being provided free treatment and it was a unique example in the region.
He said the Multan Institute of Cardiology (MIC) was being completed in 11 months at a cost of Rs1 billion and its outpatient door service had become operational.
Another cardiology institute was being set up in Faisalabad at an estimated cost of Rs 2.25 billion while 60 kanals had been acquired in Wazirabad for the same purpose.
Mr Javed said after the Mayo Hospital, Lahore, one burn unit had been established in the Nishtar Hospital, Multan and two more — one each at Faisalabad and Rawalpindi — were being established.
He said up-gradation and provision of facilities to the rural health centres (RHCs) would be the focus of the government in the ongoing and next financial year as a specialist doctor would be ensured at each RHC with handsome salary and fringe benefits.
The minister said a state-of-the-art emergency ambulance service was being extended to all district headquarters of the Punjab after its success in Lahore.
BILL: Health minister Dr Tahir Ali Javid also introduced the Punjab Emergency Services Bill 2005 in the house for the establishment of the Punjab Emergency Service (PES) to deal with emergencies.
Deputy speaker Sardar Shaukat Husain Mazari referred the bill to the standing committee on health with a direction to report within a month.
The bill provides legal cover to emergency services reforms and rescue operations being performed by the Rescue 1122.
This will provide medical treatment and safe transportation to helpless victims of accidents, emergencies and disasters whom public is afraid of helping owing to medico-legal liabilities.
An emergency council will ensure efficient and effective management of emergencies and working of the service. By analyzing data, the council will recommend actions for preventing emergencies in future.
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