Quorum haunts NA: Govt draws opposition’s flak

Speaker asks govt, opposition to name members for a special committee to probe Gulalai’s harassment allegations


Qadeer Tanoli August 11, 2017
PHOTO: APP

ISLAMABAD: The deputy speaker on Thursday adjourned the sitting of the National Assembly for a week to avoid embarrassment over the government’s inability to meet the minimum requirement to hold a session.

Even the appearance of former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in the Lower House of Parliament could not help meet the minimum number to run the business of the house effectively.

The National Assembly comprises 342 members and requires one-fourth of the total number as the quorum’s basic requirement.

Soon after the Question Hour, a member of the opposition pointed out the quorum which led to counting of the members, and the proceedings were suspended by NA Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi for around 20 minutes.

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When the sitting resumed, the deputy speaker had to adjourn it due to lack of quorum to meet again on Thursday, August 17 at 3pm.

It was the second consecutive day during the ongoing session that the proceedings were adjourned for lack of quorum.

The empty benches of the government members provided an opportunity to the opposition benches to slam the government for its inability to meet the required numbers in the house.

Since the start of the GT Rod rally of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday, the presence of government ministers and its lawmakers in the National Assembly has become a serious issue.

As many as 74 lawmakers – or 22% of the total strength – were present at the outset and 43 – or 13 per cent – at the adjournment of the sitting.

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The House took up 10 out of 31 starred questions during the proceedings. The lawmakers asked 26 supplementary questions as well. The calling-attention notices appearing on the orders of the day were left unaddressed.

The house could not conduct the election for the members of the board of governors of the National Book Foundation.

Earlier, the National Assembly’s sitting began with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the chair. The house offered Fateha for the army personnel who embraced martyrdom while foiling a terrorist activity in Dir.

The members paid glowing tributes to the sacrifices of the security forces in the ongoing war on terror. They said the enemies were hatching conspiracies against Pakistan and the security forces deserved appreciation for thwarting their sinister designs.

The National Assembly was informed that Hajj and Umrah Service Management Bill 2017 was being prepared to bring the affairs of Umrah under the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Responding to queries of the members during the Question Hour, Parliamentary Secretary for Religious Affairs Khalil George said the bill would soon be presented before the house after consultation with the stakeholders. He also clarified that no Hajj quota had specifically been allocated for parliamentarians this year.

Minister for Ports and Shipping Hasil Khan Bizenjo told the house in a written reply that construction work on pilot phase of Gwadar Port Free Zone would be completed by December this year. Work on the next phase would start from January next, he added.

Opposition asked to name members for committee meant to probe Gulalai allegations

He said the federal government had allowed 23-year tax incentives to investors registered in the Gwadar Port Free Zone, including exemptions from paying federal taxes like import and export duties, sales tax, corporate income tax and federal excise duty.

Parliamentary Secretary for Housing and Works Sajid Mehdi said there was acute shortage of houses for federal government employees in Islamabad and the government was taking steps on war footings to address the situation.

Parliamentary Secretary for Industries and Production Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan said the Utility Stores Corporation registered about 13 per cent increase in sales during the last fiscal year 2016-17.

He said necessary steps were being taken to improve supply chain of the utility stores.

Gulalai’s allegations

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq requested lawmakers to nominate members of parliamentary parties in proportion with their representations in the National Assembly for the special committee to examine the harassment allegations levelled by MNA Ayesha Gulalai against PTI chief Imran Khan.

The government has nominated six members for the committee, whereas opposition leader Khursheed Shah responded that the PTI and the Jamaat-e-Islami had refused to nominate their members.

The speaker again requested Shah to nominate four members from the opposition so that the committee could be notified in pursuance of the motion adopted by the house.

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