LAHORE - As the Punjab Assembly meets again today after two-day break, the Treasury and the Opposition are set to approve amendment in the Assembly Rules of Procedure enabling the Speaker to issue production orders of any member of Punjab Assembly.
The necessary amendment to the rules is on the agenda of Punjab Assembly business for Monday and the House is expected to adopt a motion through unanimous vote to empower Punjab Assembly Assembly Speaker in this regard.
After the likely passage of the amendment, the main opposition party – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)– has plans to file an application with the Speaker, seeking production of Khawaja Salman Rafique, a PML-N MPA, in the assembly. Khawaja Salman Rafique has been detained by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for investigation into corruption charges.
The Pakistan Muslmi League -N had earlier demanded of the Assembly Speaker Ch Parvez Elahi to issue production orders of Salman Rafique.
However, the Pakistan Muslim League-N leaders were reminded by the Speaker that Speaker Punjab Assembly was not authorized to issue production orders of any member unlike the speakers of other legislatures.
Consequently, the Treasury and the Opposition sat together last week to sort out this issue through amendment in the Assembly Rules of Procedure.