KP govt decries governor’s move to summon assembly session

PESHAWAR: A serious constitutional issue has emerged between the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor and the provincial government after the former summoned the provincial assembly session for the swearing-in of 23 women and minority MPs elected to reserved seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.

On Tuesday evening, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali sent a letter to the provincial assembly secretary, asking that Assembly Secretariat should convene a session of the provincial assembly on March 22 so that the speaker could administer the oath to the women and minority members elected to the reserved seats.

Subsequently, the KP governor also issued a notification regarding the convening of the assembly session on Friday, March 22.

The provincial government has been troubled by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor’s move to summon the session of the provincial assembly. In this regard, high-level consultations have been started to look into the matter.

According to sources, the MPs elected to the reserved seats for women and minorities can play a key role in the Senate elections and help the opposition’s Senate candidates win elections.

KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati told HUM News English that he was reviewing whether the governor can summon the assembly session on his own.

Experts associated with the affairs of the provincial assembly told HUM News English that the assembly session can be requisitioned by the speaker or the governor can summon the session on the advice of the provincial government.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government Spokesperson and Adviser for Information Barrister Saif has strongly criticized the governor’s move to summon the session of the provincial assembly.

He said that the governor does not have the authority to call the assembly session on his own. He also demanded the governor’s resignation.