Medical facilities admissible to Senate members, family: Senate told

14 May, 2015

ISLAMABAD: Attorney General of Pakistan Salman Aslam Butt Thursday informed Senate that the medical facilities were admissible to family members, dependents of Senators.

He stated this while responding reported disparity arose from the opinion submitted by the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights about the entitlement of medical facility for dependents, family to former and sitting members of the Senate.

Quoting various constitutional articles, the Attorney General opined that the facility is not admissible to former members of the Senate. while sitting members, family, dependents were entitled for availing medical facility on government expense.

He brushed aside the misconception that the ministry of law, justice had opined that the family of Senators is not entitled to medical facility.

Arguing in the Senate on the matter, leader of the opposition in Senate Chaudhary Aitzaz Ahsan was of the opinion that the law ministry gave perversive opinion and the ministry should be issued notice for giving opinion that the families of Senators were not entitled to medical facility.

He argued that the privilege of a member includes about lessening his burdens therefore free travel facility to family, medical facility is aimed to lessening his burden. Free, travel treatment and other facilities to family, dependents is the privilege of a member, not the family.

The Chairman Senate reserved his verdict on the issue and said he will give the ruling in the next sitting.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2015

Read Comments