PESHAWAR: No parliamentary oversight exists in the province over the government’s initiatives to tackle the emergency arising from Covid-19 pandemic as all standing committees of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly were dissolved earlier and the assembly could also not meet due to a lack of space for social distancing.

The assembly has suspended all plenary sessions at the onset of the coronavirus outbreak in the country to follow guidelines on social distancing recommended by the government. The secretariat has been locked and entire staff is on leave.

The standing committees, which play the role of oversight and monitor the working of the executive and activities of the departments concerned and give advice to the government, do not exist.

Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani had dissolved standing committees, including the public accounts committee and finance committee in Feb this year, to induct members from the merged tribal districts.

PA bodies dissolved, house can’t meet in light of social distancing advice

MPAs from tribal districts have no representation in the standing committees.

The strength of members of each standing committee will be increased from nine to 13 after the induction of lawmakers from tribal districts.

“The standing committees function as sub-organ of the assembly, which not only review performance of the relevant departments but also give advice to the government. There is a need for the legislative oversight of the executive to keep check on the activities of health, relief, social welfare and police departments, which are on the forefront to manage the current situation,” said a senior official dealing with the parliamentary business.

“Legislative oversight of the departments does not exist in the province since the dissolution of the standing committees,” he said.

The official said the house’s committee had small anumber of members and could conduct meetings in accordance with the standard operating procedures.

Another official said the government and opposition were at odds and the formation of new committees was out of question under the current circumstances.

He said members of the committees would be elected.

When contacted, Deputy Speaker Mahmood Jan argued that the government was formed from the assembly and cabinet members were not outsiders but elected representatives.

“A standing committee shall deal with a subject only assigned by the assembly. It cannot work on its own,” he said.

Former secretary of the KP Assembly Amanullah Khan said the standing committees had suo moto powers and could summon meetings of the departments concerned.

He said a standing committee could issue directives to the department concerned on any matter.

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) MPA Inayatullah Khan said in the current situation, the government seemed relaxed as the assembly was not in session, while the standing committees were not there.

“In the current situation, the government is not answerable to any legislative body about utilisation of funds and strategy for countering the pandemic,” he said.

The provincial government has allocated Rs33 billion to be spent through relevant departments to contain the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Awami National Party MPA Khushdil Khan advocate said he had discussed the situation with Opposition Leader Akram Khan Durrani and ANP parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak and suggested the requisitioning of the assembly session.

He said discussion was under way to call a meeting of the parliamentary leaders of the opposition parties.

“The government is announcing packages and releasing funds for handling the pandemic without any check by the legislative bodies,” he said, adding that the entire show was being run by only three persons, including the chief minister, his health minister and an unelected adviser on information.

Mr Khushdil termed the dissolution of the standing committees an ‘unconstitutional’ act and claimed that the speaker didn’t have powers to do so.

“I’ll challenge his (speaker’s) ruling in the high court,” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2020