Maintaining quorum – a daunting task for govt
Speaker had to suspend proceedings 12 times for a lack of quorum
Speaker had to suspend proceedings 12 times for a lack of quorum. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
The government had struggled to keep the house in order throughout the budget session because its disgruntled lawmakers left no stone unturned in embarrassing the treasury benches and forcing the speaker to suspend proceedings 12 times for lack of quorum.
It was clear from first-hand information and background discussions with MPs that maintaining quorum was proving to be a daunting task for the government. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq’s frustration could be judged from the fact that he was seen sending out written messages to federal ministers through emissaries to ensure attendance of treasury MPs in the house.
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“One can see the opposition persistently pointing out the quorum issue, particularly when the house is debating the budget,” a senior official in the National Assembly secretariat told The Express Tribune.
At times, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab had to request opposition members not to point out quorum, but to no avail. The MPs’ interest in the proceedings could be gauged from the fact that budget books still had their ribbons intact because no one had bothered to read them.
Even during Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s speech on June 17, the government had failed to meet quorum when about 50-60 of its MPs had walked out. But despite PPP MNA Abdul Sattar raising the issue that the house was not in order, the speaker did not pay heed to his plea because Dar was winding up the budget debate.
Only women lawmakers from the government side attended the budget session with some regularity, while hardly any minister was found sitting in the house. Even Dar had failed to show up in the house. And when he did, it was only for a few minutes. The disgruntled parliamentarians are of the view that ministers do not give them the kind of respect they deserve, and spare them enough time to discuss problems in their constituencies.
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Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah, when asked about the reasons behind the slack attitude of MPs, held ministers responsible.
PTI’s chief whip Dr Shireen Mazari was of the view that the government felt that it had the majority in the house, so they were least bothered about attending proceedings. The problem multiplied because of the livid group as they found it difficult to get access to even their own ministers, she said.
“When we pointed out quorum at the start of the budget debate, PPP members told me that there was no tradition of pointing out quorum during budget debate,” she said. “Monday is going to see voting on cut motions, and let’s see how the government handles the situation”.
Awami Muslim League’s chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said it was his seventh term in the National Assembly but for the first time he saw a government struggling to keep the house in order, including the opposition, during the finance minister’s speech.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 20th, 2016.
The government had struggled to keep the house in order throughout the budget session because its disgruntled lawmakers left no stone unturned in embarrassing the treasury benches and forcing the speaker to suspend proceedings 12 times for lack of quorum.
It was clear from first-hand information and background discussions with MPs that maintaining quorum was proving to be a daunting task for the government. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq’s frustration could be judged from the fact that he was seen sending out written messages to federal ministers through emissaries to ensure attendance of treasury MPs in the house.
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“One can see the opposition persistently pointing out the quorum issue, particularly when the house is debating the budget,” a senior official in the National Assembly secretariat told The Express Tribune.
At times, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab had to request opposition members not to point out quorum, but to no avail. The MPs’ interest in the proceedings could be gauged from the fact that budget books still had their ribbons intact because no one had bothered to read them.
Even during Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s speech on June 17, the government had failed to meet quorum when about 50-60 of its MPs had walked out. But despite PPP MNA Abdul Sattar raising the issue that the house was not in order, the speaker did not pay heed to his plea because Dar was winding up the budget debate.
Only women lawmakers from the government side attended the budget session with some regularity, while hardly any minister was found sitting in the house. Even Dar had failed to show up in the house. And when he did, it was only for a few minutes. The disgruntled parliamentarians are of the view that ministers do not give them the kind of respect they deserve, and spare them enough time to discuss problems in their constituencies.
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Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah, when asked about the reasons behind the slack attitude of MPs, held ministers responsible.
PTI’s chief whip Dr Shireen Mazari was of the view that the government felt that it had the majority in the house, so they were least bothered about attending proceedings. The problem multiplied because of the livid group as they found it difficult to get access to even their own ministers, she said.
“When we pointed out quorum at the start of the budget debate, PPP members told me that there was no tradition of pointing out quorum during budget debate,” she said. “Monday is going to see voting on cut motions, and let’s see how the government handles the situation”.
Awami Muslim League’s chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said it was his seventh term in the National Assembly but for the first time he saw a government struggling to keep the house in order, including the opposition, during the finance minister’s speech.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 20th, 2016.