The 17-member Al Wefaq bloc put the issue to vote but could not muster 21 ballots to ensure that Shaikh Ahmed’s grilling is taken up by this panel in which the bloc has majority. The public utilities and environment affairs committee is headed by Al Wefaq Deputy Jawad Fairooz.
Their argument was that the questions set for Shaikh Ahmed dealt with discrepancies in population statistics provided by the Central Informatics Organisation he heads and the public utilities and environment affairs panel was the competent authority to question him.
The questioning of the Minister of Municipalities and Agriculture Affairs, Mansoor Bin Rajab, has been referred to the finance committee. Al Asala, Al Mustaqbal and independent Deputy Abdulla Dossary want to quiz Bin Rajab on his alleged stake in a private hospital backed by Iranian investors and alleged anomalies in his ministry.
In a statement to the Tribune, Bin Rajab said he was ready to cooperate with the finance panel. He said he would cooperate with lawmakers according to laws and regulations. There has been no wrongdoing and it will be proved, he said, adding that the legislative authority had the right to take proper legal and constitutional procedures.
