ISLAMABAD: The posts of chairpersons of five standing committees of the National Assembly have fallen vacant after their induction into the new federal cabinet.

The National Assembly Secretariat has so far not issued any schedule for meetings of the committees for election of their new chairpersons under the rules.

The committees which have been without heads are: NA standing committees on foreign affairs, housing and works, water and power, religious affairs and interfaith harmony and a functional committee on rules of procedures and privileges.

These committees were headed by Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari (foreign affairs), Hafiz Abdul Karim (religious affairs), Arshad Leghari (water and power), Junaid Anwar Chaudhry (rules and procedures) and Akram Ansari (housing and works).

It has been learnt that the government will oblige more ruling party leaders and loyalists to fill these positions.

Sources in the NA Secretariat told Dawn that the NA secretary would soon convene meetings of these committees for election of their chairmen.

Rule 216 of Rules of Procedure for Conduct of Business in NA-2007 states: “(1) The chairman of each committee shall be elected by the committee from amongst its members within thirty days after the election of the committee and the secretary shall cause the notification to be published in the gazette: provided that a minister shall not be elected as its chairman: provided further that if the chairman is appointed as minister or, parliamentary secretary, he shall cease to be the chairman. (2) If the chairman is not present at any sitting, the committee shall choose one of its members present to act as chairman for that sitting.”

The NA Secretariat will have to establish five more standing committees as newly elected Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has formed five more divisions/ministries — narcotics, privatisation, statics, water resources and postal services. Earlier, these were merged with other ministries.

With the appointment of two parliamentary secretaries — Talal Chaudhry and Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha — as ministers of state, these positions have also fallen vacant and are yet to be filled by the government.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2017