NA session: Debate over price hikes halted for lack of quorum

PTI calls for a relief package to bring down inflation.

ISLAMABAD:

There were hardly any members on either side of the aisle who had not shown concern against inflation but on Wednesday they had seemingly lost interest in the ongoing debate over the issue as the National Assembly session was adjourned unceremoniously due to low attendance.

The house was right in the middle of a debate when Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Ayaz Soomro from the opposition benches pointed out lack of quorum to the chair, after which the session was adjourned.

According to rules, the quorum required for a sitting of the NA session or a committee meeting is one-fourth of the total membership, which is 86 members in a house of 342.

Earlier, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had urged the lower house to take steps on war footings.

“People might lose their faith in democracy as our policies have been flawed,” he said, adding “nothing will change through long speeches and only practical steps will address issues of the common man.”

Hashmi, a former confidant of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif indirectly criticised the premier for prioritising his business over the affairs of the country.



“Ours is the only PM in the world who is also an industrialist,” he said.

Talking about his party’s stance over price hikes, Hashmi said, “We are going to stage a rally in Lahore on December 22.”

PTI MNA Dr Arif Alvi also demanded the government to provide a relief package for the poor and to take emergency measures to bring down the prices of essential commodities.

Meanwhile, PPP’s Ayaz Soomro alleged that the government had not distributed resources equally.

“The government should not differentiate between Lahore and Larkana when it comes to development projects,” he added. He also went on to question the legitimacy of the 2013 general elections calling the results a mandate of ‘agencies and returning officers’.

Referring to a private member’s bill regarding the restoration of magistracy system, he said that the government should bring the system back in order to keep a check on prices of commodities.

Meanwhile, Daniyal Aziz from the PML-N said that tightening the monetary policy to address the issue was the need of the hour.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2013.