The provincial assembly on Monday resumed proceedings with Deputy Speaker Dr Meher Taj Roghani in the chair and besides other agenda items like question-hour and call attention notices from the members the passage of the piece of legislation was also included in the agenda as additional item. But due to the lack of quorum it could not be adopted and the proceedings of the house were prorogued for an indefinite period.
PTI chief Imran Khan, whose politics are focused on transparent politics, always is used to speak on the prevention of the conflict of interest and the piece of legislation was drafted to give a practical shape to his dream of such political system in the province.
The purpose of the Bill was to establish clear conflict of interest and related-post employment principles for public office holders, so prevent and minimise the possibility of conflicts arising between private interests and public duties of public office holders and provide for the resolution of those conflicts in the public interests should they arise, to establish an independent commission with the mandate to determined the measures necessary to avoid conflict of interest and to determined whether a contravention of this Act has occurred, to encourage experienced and competent persons to seek and accept public office and to facilitate interchange between the private and the public sectors.
The Bill was taken into consideration for the first time in November last year. But on resistance from opposition benches, it was referred to the Select Committee of the house, which comprises the treasury benches and parliamentary leaders of opposition parties in the house.
PTI chief Imran Khan in a recent visit to Peshawar had directed the party legislators for the passage of the bill from the house as soon as possible. But, the behaviour of members from both opposition and treasury benches had sent it to cold storage. Soon after the recitation from Holy Qur'aan, Uzma Khan, a woman legislator of the JUI-F and Sardar Hussain of the PPP pinpointed the lack of quorum in the house and Deputy Speaker have to for counting and found only 26 members in the house.
The lack of quorum prompted the Deputy Speaker to issue directives for the ringing of the bells for two minutes. But, the house still remained in disorder and she had to adjourn the proceedings for 15 minutes. Though the house resumed proceedings, but the house was still lacking the quorum leaving the Deputy Speaker with no other option other than reading the prorogation order of the house received from the Governor's House to prorogue the proceedings of the house for indefinite period.