National Assembly session: Rowdy MNAs leave budget neglected

ISLAMABAD:

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi ruined the opposition’s plans to disrupt the house proceedings by abruptly calling off the session on Wednesday for a day.

No sooner had lawmakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) entered the house, that Kundi adjourned the proceedings, cutting short a speech by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) legislator Prince Mohiuddin. The move was appreciated by members of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) with desk thumping and laughter, but the PML-N would have none of it, shouting “Bhaag gaye”. When ruling party members began making fun of the opposition, the opposition started chanting ‘prime minister – Khursheed Shah’.

Shouting and sloganeering aside, the fourth day of the budget session suffered from lacklustre participation of MNAs. Many were also absent. Proceedings were suspended twice due to a lack of quorum.

After pointing out that the required number of members were not present, PML-N’s Saud Majeed further contributed to this number by himself leaving the house. Other party members remained in the lobby to avoid being part of the head count.

When Kundi announced the suspension of proceedings till the required number of members was present, a frazzled Religious Affairs Minister Khursheed Shah went on a search mission as PPP members strolled in the lobby instead of participating in the budget debate.

Farooq Sattar from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) urged the government to increase trade with India. Both the countries can avoid war through investment in each other, he added. He said that the government should not increase the defence budget since bilateral relations were finally improving.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2012.