PESHAWAR, June 3: The NWFP assembly, taking notice of the centre’s interference in provincial affairs, decided to discuss the matter on an adjournment motion on Thursday.
PPP’s Abdul Akbar Khan told the house on Tuesday that he would table the adjournment motion against the centre’s interference on Thursday.
When some of the members rose and started speaking at the same time on points of order, Speaker Bakht Jahan Khan said the day Akbar Khan would table his adjournment motion, other members would be allowed to speak on it.
Earlier, PML-N’s Anwar Kamal Marwat warned the house that unwise decisions in the past had produced “ugly consequences”. He advised the MPAs to read the writing on the wall and stay away from the politics of district Nazims as it could cause a permanent tussle with the Centre.
Referring to the motions tabled by the treasury against the Nazims of Bannu and Kohistan on Monday, Mr Marwat urged the lawmakers not to invite trouble by opening a petty front with Nazims.
He also referred to a news item about the federal government’s annoyance over the en bloc resignations by the district Nazims and asked the house not to provide an opportunity to the Centre to exploit the situation.
Defending the government stand, Law Minister Malik Zafar Azam said the government had taken a lawful course against Nazims. “We are running the government and it is our duty to take notice of wrongdoings. It is a non-issue, but some people want to make it an issue,” he said.
He denied the provincial government was at loggerheads with Nazims or in a tussle with the federal government. It was, he maintained, usual to consult the chief minister on a reshuffle in the bureaucratic hierarchy.
The speaker constituted an 8-member committee to look into the charges levelled against the Nazims of Bannu and Kohistan. The committee comprises MPAs Khalid Waqar Chamkani, Alhaj Ayaz Khan, Maulana Mohammed Idrees, Dr Zakirullah, Abdul Akbar Khan, Faisal Zaman, Maulana Nizamuddin and Local Government Minister Sardar Mohammed Idrees
The speaker also framed terms of reference for the committee and advised its members to listen personally to Nazims Mohammed Iqbal and Maulana Obaidullah Khan. He asked the committee to submit its report within seven days.
The house discussed three adjournment motions on transfer and posting of women staff at far-off places, the non-operative bus- terminal in Karak and uplift of Kumrat resort in Upper Dir.
Dr Simeen Mehmood Jan of the PML-Q said a majority of women working in education and health departments had been transferred to far-off places and termed it a violation of official policy. She urged the government to post these women near their homes.
Education Minister Fazle Ali told the house that most of the women had been adjusted in their home districts. But, he added, when there were no vacancies they had been posted to other areas.
PML-Q’s Wajihuzzaman Khan opposed the appointment of a senior forest official in Hazara range and accused the government of patronizing corrupt officials.
Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani asked Mr Wajihuzzaman to behave. He hoped that in future the PML- Q’s member would behave in a good manner. “We pay respect to others and we know how to protect our honour. The government knows better about transferring and posting of officials,” he maintained.
Mr Wajihuzzaman took the floor again to say he wanted justice from the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government. “I will continue to register my protest,” he said and walked out of the house.
Mukhtar Ali, an Awami National Party MPA from Swabi, tabled his adjournment motion about a newly built bus-stand in Karak. He was of the view that the government had built the terminus on a wrong site and people were opposed to use it.
The local government minister suggested that notables of the area should hold negotiations and decide about the issue.