“Hold even 1,000 all parties conferences [APCs] we will not accept decisions taken behind closed doors,” declared Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel of the Awami National Party (ANP).
The warning was issued at a time when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was in the middle of an APC with parliamentary heads of political parties. Representatives of opposition parties participated in the meeting but senators were perturbed over government’s attitude towards the Senate.
“It seems the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz [PML-N] thinks the National Assembly as parliament,” the ANP leader said while pointing out the absence of the prime minister, federal ministers and empty treasury benches.
Recalling political parties’ support for the government during protests of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), the ANP leader noted that “we had saved the government for the sake of democracy but this is not something we would keep on doing.”
Later, he announced a five-minute walkout that ultimately led to the end of the proceedings due to lack of quorum.
Another ANP leader Senator Zahid Khan said that the session was summoned by the government and it was its responsibility to maintain the quorum. “The prime minister used to spend the entire day when there were protesters in front of the parliament house,” he pointed out while saying “the session should be prorogued if it was to be treated in this manner.”
Earlier, Senator Raza Rabbani pointed out that the government should have submitted recommendations of National Action Plan Committee (NAPC) instead of having an APC, saying parliament was the only appropriate forum.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2014.
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That's because you can't agree on anything. And if you think the "government " is taking action, think again. If it wasn't for the military pushing the PM to get off his butt, PM would still be busy blaming Imran for derailing democracy.
And as for as parliament is concerned, you people don't do a damn thing other than giving statements of when or what you will eventually get done which is nothing.