ISLAMABAD: The opposition and treasury benches have reached a consensus that chairmanships of standing committees in the National Assembly will be allocated according to the numerical strength of parliamentary parties.
This understanding was reached during a meeting chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, attended by chief whips of all parties. However, the final decision on this understanding will be made by the NA speaker next week, as the opposition has requested time for consultations on selecting committees for chairmanship.
Present at the meeting were Shazia Marri, Malik Amir Dogar, Mujahid Khan, Naveed Qamar, Aijaz Jakhrani, Khalid Hussain Magsi, Gul Asfar Khan, Noor Alam Khan, Zain Hussain Qureshi, Aminul Haq, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Hafeezuddin, and Moin Aamir.
Sources indicated that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairmanship will be assigned to the opposition, while the treasury benches will lead the parliamentary committee on Kashmir. The opposition leader will select a member from within its ranks to head the PAC.
Furthermore, it was decided that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will chair 13 standing committees, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and independents supported by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will each chair eight. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) will chair two committees, and Istehkam-e-Pakistan (IPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) will chair one each. Smaller parliamentary parties will not receive chairmanships of standing committees.
The MQM-P has reportedly sought chairmanship of three bodies instead of two from the PML-N.
Additionally, rules for NA proceedings, allocation of days for discussing the motion of thanks on the presidential speech, the budget session schedule, and the parliamentary year calendar were settled upon. The business advisory body will be named by both opposition and government. The NA is set to convene on April 29, Monday.
The motion of thanks will be discussed in the session starting May 13, 2024. Five days will be dedicated to discussion, with each sitting lasting five hours. Members will have 10 minutes each to speak, with parliamentary leaders allotted more time.
During the first two days, one member from each side will speak on the motion of thanks. From the third day onwards, two government members and one opposition member will speak.
An understanding was also reached on the budget session, likely to be held from June 6 to 28. The assembly will convene on Saturdays, with a six-day break for Eidul Adha. No question hour will be held during the budget session, with general discussion on the budget wrapping up on June 21, discussion on charged expenditure on June 22, cut motions from June 24 to 25, consideration and passage of the finance bill on June 26, and supplementary grants on June 27.
