PESHAWAR: New details have emerged regarding the privileges and facilities granted to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker following the issuance of the official gazette notification for the relevant legislation.
According to the Act available on the provincial assembly’s website, both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be provided with two official vehicles each, while the Speaker will also be entitled to use a bulletproof vehicle.
The law grants both officials immunity from arrest or detention. It also states that no law enforcement agency will be authorized to enter, search or conduct a raid at their official residences.
Under the new provisions, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be allowed to travel in business class along with their children during official visits, while two personal assistants accompanying them will be provided economy class tickets.
The Speaker has also been authorized to use a government helicopter, aircraft, or Pakistan Air Force helicopter for official duties, according to the legislation.
The law further states that if official accommodation is unavailable, alternative residence expenses will be paid according to approval from the Finance Committee. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be allowed to use official residences during their tenure and for 15 days after leaving office. The Speaker may continue to reside there until the election of a new assembly speaker.
The Finance Committee has also been empowered to increase the salaries of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. In case of death due to an accident, an amount approved by the committee will be paid to legal heirs, while compensation will be provided in case of injuries.
It is worth mentioning that the initial draft of the legislation had included provisions for providing a Grade-17 secretary, cook, and driver to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. However, these clauses were removed from the final version of the law.
