ISLAMABAD, Oct 26 (APP):National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Monday barred parliamentary secretaries from answering questions relating to ministries other than their own in the absence of the relevant parliamentary secretary, minister of state or federal minister.
During Question Hour, the speaker said the parliamentary secretary concerned was responsible for answering questions about the relevant ministry because they were briefed on its affairs.
He said a parliamentary secretary from another ministry might not be fully aware of the relevant matters and could therefore find it difficult to provide lawmakers with the required information.
Ayaz Sadiq stressed that the purpose of Question Hour was to provide members of the National Assembly with accurate and satisfactory answers from the relevant ministries.
He said House proceedings would be conducted in line with this principle.
During Question Hour, the speaker also addressed Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar and referred to Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain’s remarks about the British Parliament.
He observed that the British Parliament operated on the basis of established parliamentary principles and conventions rather than a written constitution.
The speaker reiterated that parliamentary secretaries from other ministries would not be allowed to answer questions relating to a different ministry.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
