PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad
Qaisar has apparently assumed the role of de facto chief executive of
the province as he often summons administrative secretaries and heads of
the directorates to his chamber for briefings on development schemes.
Well-placed sources in the assembly secretariat said that Speaker
Asad Qaisar invited
secretary of works and services, secretary of
housing and secretary of industries departments to his chamber on July
29 to brief him about the mega projects in Swabi district.
According to the schedule, the three administrative secretaries would
brief Mr
Qaisar on the proposed construction of Swat expressway,
establishment of an industrial estate near Colonel Sher Khan Interchange
and a mega city project near Colonel Sher Khan Interchange close to
Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway.
These sources said that Mr
Qaisar wanted to connect the under
construction Colonel Sher Khan Interchange with Chakdara Bridge through
Swat expressway.
“Regrettably,
Mr Speaker is more interested in attending meetings and
briefings about development schemes in his hometown rather than
focusing on issues related to his office,” said
senior official.
He said that by book it was not speaker’s job to call secretaries and
heads of different directorates for briefings. He said that there was
no provision in the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Procedure
and Conduct of Business Rules that he (speaker) should preside over
meetings related to development schemes in his constituency or any other
area.
“Speaker is only
custodian of the assembly and he can call any
officer or administrative secretary on matters related to the House,”
the official said, adding officers of all departments and directorates
were not bound to brief him (speaker) on irrelevant subjects.
His predecessor Kiramatullah Khan Chagharmatti had introduced this
culture as he always summoned secretaries and other officials to his
chamber for briefings. The incumbent speaker, who is also provincial
chief of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-
i-Insaf, has been focusing on his
constituency.
Being head of the party he has been taking part in live TV talk shows
to defend and explain PTI’s position on various issues. The opposition
parties have already demanded him to quit the party office. Mr
Qaisar
has also engaged his chamber staff to look after development activities
in his hometown. For instance, the assembly speaker issued a press
release here on Monday stating that secretary to speaker Saeed Khan was
inspecting medical complex in Swabi.
His brother Aqibullah Khan has been allocated ticket to contest
by-election from NA-13, which was vacated by Mr
Qaisar after
retaining
the provincial assembly seat. He is facing Jamiat Ulema-
i-Islam-Fazl and
Awami National Party joint candidate Maulana Attaul Haq
Dervaish.
Sources said that Mr
Qaisar had engaged himself in the election campaign
to secure the National Assembly seat.
Officials said that formation of
standing committee of the House
including the powerful public accounts committee had not been
finalised
owing to ‘hectic’ engagements of
Mr Qaisar and differences among MPAs of
PTI over occupying chairmanship of standing committees.
The opposition in the provincial assembly has
authorised Mr
Qaisar to
nominate chairpersons and members of the committees. Normally,
officials said, committees were constituted soon after assembly came
into existence. The sitting members took oath on May 29. This scribe
tried to contact Mr
Qaisar but he was not available for comment.
