LAHORE:
In a democracy, voters from each constituency cast their ballots for leaders they hope will represent their grievances at the state level. However, in Pakistan’s core province of Punjab, the local population’s issues remain unresolved as their so-called representatives stay silent during crucial provincial legislature discussions.
Recently, the Punjab Assembly held five sessions to devise the budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year 2024-25. Despite rules encouraging active participation from all members, barely half of the over 300 recently elected representatives engaged in the discussions. Most remained silent or distracted, neglecting their primary duty to voice their constituents’ concerns.
“We elect our representatives and send them to the assembly so they can propose specific suggestions for our area and get developmental projects approved. However, despite the public’s high expectations, these representatives do nothing after being elected, and five years pass in a similar manner,” lamented Imran Chaudhry, a local resident.
According to sources from the Express Tribune, out of the 356 members in the Punjab Assembly, only 45 percent (160 members) participated in the recent budget discussions. No political party addressed the issue of their members’ non-participation.
Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, head of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), opined that the problem lies within party politics, where only members favoring the leadership are allowed to speak. “This is why we see many members speak very little during assembly sessions or send their questions in writing. Most members simply come to the assembly, mark their attendance, and complete their official duties. By marking attendance, they receive travel and daily allowances. MPAs are elected by the public to resolve their problems and participate in legislation for their convenience. However, the importance of the members in the assembly is mostly recognized only when they have to approve a bill or budget through voting,” Mehboob explained.
Opposition member Ahmad Khan Bhachar agreed with Mehboob and urged all Punjab Assembly members to be vocal about public issues and actively voice their constituents’ concerns during sessions. “However, if a member chooses not to speak, they cannot be forced to say something,” he added.
Conversely, Hina Pervaiz Butt from PML-N maintained that almost all members, including women, are vigorously raising their voices in Parliament. “In the Punjab Assembly, many members elected this time are first-time elects; hence they are unaware of the assembly’s rules and unable to participate actively,” she explained.
