Punjab govt to limit Punjab Assembly, Speaker's powers, sources

LAHORE: The PML-N led Punjab government has reportedly decided to limit the Punjab Assembly speaker’s powers, in order to neutralize PML-Q leader Chaudhry Perviaz Illahi, ARY News reported. 

According to sources, the Punjab government is planning to limit the speakers’ powers and to put the assembly under the law ministry’s supervision.

Sources say that the law ministry has also prepared a summary to limit the assembly and speaker’s powers. Amends would be made to the Punjab Assembly’s rules of business through ordinances, it added.

The government is also planning to subvert the power of the Punjab Assembly secretariat, the sources claim.

Earlier, in a bid to avert a constitutional crisis over two parallel sessions of the Punjab Assembly, back door contacts have been established between treasury and opposition to hold a single session of the provincial assembly.

Governor Punjab Baligh ur Rehman had summoned the 41st session of the Punjab Assembly at 2:00 pm at Aiwan-e-Iqbal while Speaker Parvez Elahi had adjourned the proceedings of the 40th session for today at 1:00 pm.

Also Read:‘Efforts underway’ to hold single session of Punjab Assembly today

According to sources, backdoor contacts had been established to hold a single session of the assembly. “Parallel sessions will hurt the legal position of both the treasury and the opposition,” they said and added that therefore efforts are underway to hold the session in one place.