LAHORE: Expressing his strong reservations over delays in the Punjab Assembly business and inactivity of standing committees, a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MPA has urged the speaker to set mandatory timelines for responses to assembly questions and compel the standing committees to meet at regular intervals.

In a letter to the Punjab Assembly speaker, PTI MPA from Faisalabad Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan said the delays in assembly business and inactivity of standing committees defeat the very purpose of the Punjab Assembly’s parliamentary scrutiny, effectiveness and credibility.

Mr Khan stated that the primary purpose of parliamentary oversight was to hold the executive accountable through timely questions, resolutions, adjournment motions and committee proceedings.

Unfortunately, he stated, there had been an alarming deterioration in the efficiency of the assembly business. He observed that the questions submitted by the MPAs were often answered months later, and in many cases after the lapse of nearly a year. “Such delays defeat the very purpose of parliamentary scrutiny, as matters of public importance lose their immediacy and relevance by the time responses are received,” he lamented.

“Equally concerning is the persistent inactivity of standing committees. Numerous issues are referred to committees for detailed examination, yet meetings are either not convened regularly or are delayed indefinitely. As a consequence, important matters affecting governance, public service delivery, financial accountability, and legislative reform remain unresolved for extended periods,” Mr Khan stated.

The MPA stated that the standing committees were widely recognised as the backbone of any parliamentary system. He said their effectiveness lied in their ability to conduct detailed scrutiny, call witnesses, seek departmental explanations, and formulate recommendations for the House. When committees fail to meet regularly, he said, the assembly’s oversight function is significantly weakened, and public confidence in democratic institutions gets shaken.

Mr Khan said the current situation in the Punjab Assembly had created a perception that matters referred to committees were often consigned to procedural limbo rather than being subjected to meaningful examination. “This not only undermines the rights and privileges of the assembly members, but also deprives citizens of effective representation and accountability,” he said.

Suggesting five measures, the MPA stressed that the speaker should set mandatory timelines for responses to assembly questions; require standing committees to meet at regular intervals with publicly available schedules; introduce periodic reporting requirements for committees regarding pending references and their status.

He stressed that the speaker must ensure that the departments failing to give timely responses are held accountable before the House. He also called for publishing annual performance reports detailing the number of meetings held, issues considered, and recommendations made by each committee.

Mr Khan said the Punjab Assembly must continue to serve as an effective institution of oversight and representation.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2026