Kerfuffle in NA as govt bulldozes legislation

Lower house grants extension to seven ordinances

Tensions soared in the National Assembly on Friday as the government hurriedly pursued a resolution seeking an extension for seven ordinances, sparking protests led by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and drawing criticism from the PPP, the major ally of the coalition setup.

Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar pushed forward seven ordinances and two bills amidst vehement opposition protests. Among the bills presented were The Civil Courts Amendment Bill, 2024, and the Legal Aid and Justice Authority Amendment Bill, 2024, both of which were referred to relevant standing committees.

The ordinances in question encompassed a range of issues from amendments to the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation to changes in the criminal law.

Opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan of the SIC vehemently opposed the move, accusing the government of attempting to pass ordinances without proper scrutiny, labelling it as a bid to "sell Pakistan."

Ayub accused the government of making unjust alterations to laws, citing the proposed removal of the word "difficulties" from 'The Pakistan Postal Services Management Board (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023' as an example.

Addressing lawmakers, he questioned whether they had thoroughly reviewed all ordinances under consideration, directing queries to specific members. "Khawaja Asif sahib, have you read? Khursheed Shah sahib, have you read?" Ayub asked, highlighting apparent gaps in comprehension.

Ayub further scrutinised the alterations proposed in 'The Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023', questioning the level of scrutiny from standing committees.

He expressed concern over potential repercussions, referencing 'The National Highway Authority (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023'.
PTI MNA Gohar Khan criticised the amendments, alleging favouritism towards certain contractors and potential detriment to the nation.

As chaos ensued, with opposition members decrying the lack of transparency and accusing the government of undermining democratic processes, NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq initiated a vote on the ordinance extension. Ultimately, 130 votes were cast in favour of the resolution, while 63 opposed it.

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In response to the uproar, Minister Tarar condemned the opposition's actions, urging them to read the ordinances before making judgments. He also criticized opposition leaders for allegedly engaging in treasonous activities and emphasized the government's commitment to consulting with all allied parties.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, speaking in the house, urged the opposition to contribute positively to the country's progress.

He defended the introduction of ordinances, emphasising that they would be thoroughly discussed in committees and urged the opposition to provide input during these meetings.Tarar criticised the PTI's opposition to the ordinances, stating,"The country will not progress like this. You should engage in some soul-searching; writing letters to the IMF and EU will not yield any positive results.

"He noted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's directive to establish National Assembly committees regardless of party seat numbers."The moment these ordinances are laid in front of this house, they will be converted into bills. Now, these bills are to be referred to the committees by the House," Tarar explained, highlighting the importance of broad representation in these committees.

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Meanwhile, addressing the floor of the NA, PPP leader Naveed Qamar also voiced reservations over the ordinances presented in the National Assembly, urging Azam Nazeer Tarar not to proceed against the people's wishes.Qamar expressed concerns about the contents of the ordinances and their presentation, suggesting that if their implementation became irreversible, the assembly should be disbanded, and the ordinance process relocated.

Meanwhile, the speaker, visibly frustrated by disruptions, warned against further disorderly conduct, threatening disciplinary action. Following the tumultuous proceedings, the session was adjourned indefinitely.

Earlier in the session, five women were sworn in as MNAs on reserved seats, bringing the total number of oath-taking ceremonies in the NA to 316.The newly sworn-in MNAs include Shaheen Habibullah, Ghazal Anjum, Asma Alamgir, Naima Kanwal, and Naeema Kishore.

Later, in a media briefing in Islamabad, party leaders Omar Ayub Khan and Asad Qaiser emphasised that while lawmaking was parliament's responsibility, it should be done properly, particularly when considering the promulgation of ordinances.

The PTI leader criticised the government for initiating legislation without adherence to rules.

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(With input from APP)