A case of missing MNAs : Low attendance mars a futile NA session

MQM MNA says president has not announced any project for Karachi

ISLAMABAD:

In the absence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his cabinet members, lawmakers could not focus on any topic related to public importance and the National Assembly session ended in futility. In the house of 342, hardly 42 members were present to attend the session of the lower house on Friday.

Deputy Speaker Murtaza Abbasi could not even convince the members of treasury benches who intervened when the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab was concluding the debate related to presidential address to the joint session of parliament.



Lawmakers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Raza Hayat Hiraj and Ahmad Owais Laghari, stepped in to debate on a ‘controversial report’ of a house committee on the food ministry.

They pointed out that author of the report might not be the chairperson of the panel, as it has many lacunas and it is silent on the issue of cotton prices. The report was also not put in the House for debate, a claim which was rebutted by the deputy speaker but strongly backed by members of Pakistan Peoples Party. To which, Abbasi agreed to refer this matter again to the committee for further debate.

During the proceedings, chairman of the standing committee on interior and narcotics control presented a report on the bill to rationalise and reorganise the local government system in the in the federal capital.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s lawmaker Abdur Rasheed Godil pointed out that despite the fact that President Mamnoon Hussain belongs to Karachi but he has not announced any project for the commercial hub of the country.

Sahibzada Tariqullah of Jamaat-e-Islami party said that, in reference to the claims made regarding local government elections, whatever was said was not implemented.

“Why are you making such tall claims if you cannot fulfil them,” he asked. He called upon the government to ensure holding of local government elections to address the issues faced by the common people.



After 16 years it has now become imperative to hold census to determine the accurate population, Tariqullah said, adding that priority should be given to the issues being faced by the internally displaced persons (IDPs).

The house proceedings were adjourned till next week.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2014.