Govt. Not To Obstruct Opposition Leader In Assuming PAC Chairmanship: Minister For Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi

Minister for Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi has said that government would not obstruct the leader of the Opposition in assuming the Chairmanship of Public Accounts Committee

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Dec, 2018 ) :Minister for Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi has said that government would not obstruct the leader of the Opposition in assuming the Chairmanship of Public Accounts Committee.

He stated this on Thursday while speaking in National Assembly about issue in delay of establishing Standing Committees in wake of Oppositions' viewpoint to appoint Leader of the Opposition as Chairman Public Accounts Committee.

The Foreign Minister said "we leave it to you to decide what is the way forward. We suggest you to appoint someone else but if you (Leader of the Opposition) want to be Chairman PAC, we will not obstruct in the interest of democracy." He said that PAC would have to give opinion about audit paras of government expenses during the last tenure, adding it would be improper that leader of the Opposition was heading the Committee reviewing the audit-paras of PML-N tenure.

The minister suggested to constitute special committee to look into the audit-paras related to the expenses or projects of PML-N tenure which would not be headed by the leader of the Opposition.

It is mutual responsibility of treasury and Opposition benches to run the proceedings of the House and to ensure legislation in the interest of the people, he maintained.

Shah Mahmood said that all of us would have to sit together to find a way out and ensure smooth proceedings of the National Assembly.

The minister said it was the beauty of democracy that parliamentary rules and traditions should be considered in running the affairs of the House.

"It has become the parliamentary tradition that Leader of the House is nominated as Chairman PAC but it will be better to have accountability through a person facing no controversy," he remarked.

The minister said that issue of formation of Standing Committees had been continuously discussed with Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak and State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.

"Issue has been taken up with the Prime Minister today and entire situation is told to him," he said adding that it was now on the disposal of Opposition leader to decide about the Chairmanship of PAC.

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