A rare incidence: Sindh Assembly session adjourned in three minutes
MQM parliamentary leaders Syed Sardar and Khawaja Izharul Hassan termed the speaker's decision 'against the rules'
MQM parliamentary leaders Syed Sardar Ahmed and Khawaja Izharul Hassan termed the speaker's decision 'against the rules'. PHOTO: INP
KARACHI:
The Sindh Assembly session lasted barely three minutes on Tuesday as speaker Agha Siraj Durrani adjourned the session abruptly, citing 'lack of quorum' as the reason.
Officials seeking anonymity told The Express Tribune that Durrani was compelled to adjourn the session as the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was all set to move a resolution against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan. In what would be perhaps the shortest session in recent history, there were only two members — education minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and lawmaker Dr Sikandar Mandhro — present at the session that began at 10am.
"How can I run the proceedings in this empty hall?" remarked Durrani. "There are only two members out of the 167 MPAs. I have requested the honourable members many times to attend the session on time but the lawmakers are not paying attention to me." He adjourned the session till February 16 (Monday).
"It was a private members day," said a senior official. "Around five resolutions, private motions and a bill were on the agenda but it was decided to adjourn the session as the MQM had tabled a resolution against Imran Khan and wanted the Pakistan Peoples Party to adopt it unanimously."
Talking to media outside the assembly, MQM parliamentary leaders Syed Sardar Ahmed and Khawaja Izharul Hassan termed the speaker's decision 'against the rules'. "The speaker should have waited for five minutes and asked the staff to repeat the bells if the quorum was not complete," said Ahmed. "We were there in our parliamentary party office and were heading towards the assembly hall when the speaker adjourned the session."
According to Khuhro, it was the speaker's prerogative to adjourn the session. "As per rules, there should be a presence of at least one-fourth of the members, that is 42 MPAs, to run the business of the house," he said. "But unfortunately we were only two which is why the speaker decided to adjourn the session."
Published in The Express Tribune, February 11th, 2015.
The Sindh Assembly session lasted barely three minutes on Tuesday as speaker Agha Siraj Durrani adjourned the session abruptly, citing 'lack of quorum' as the reason.
Officials seeking anonymity told The Express Tribune that Durrani was compelled to adjourn the session as the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was all set to move a resolution against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan. In what would be perhaps the shortest session in recent history, there were only two members — education minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and lawmaker Dr Sikandar Mandhro — present at the session that began at 10am.
"How can I run the proceedings in this empty hall?" remarked Durrani. "There are only two members out of the 167 MPAs. I have requested the honourable members many times to attend the session on time but the lawmakers are not paying attention to me." He adjourned the session till February 16 (Monday).
"It was a private members day," said a senior official. "Around five resolutions, private motions and a bill were on the agenda but it was decided to adjourn the session as the MQM had tabled a resolution against Imran Khan and wanted the Pakistan Peoples Party to adopt it unanimously."
Talking to media outside the assembly, MQM parliamentary leaders Syed Sardar Ahmed and Khawaja Izharul Hassan termed the speaker's decision 'against the rules'. "The speaker should have waited for five minutes and asked the staff to repeat the bells if the quorum was not complete," said Ahmed. "We were there in our parliamentary party office and were heading towards the assembly hall when the speaker adjourned the session."
According to Khuhro, it was the speaker's prerogative to adjourn the session. "As per rules, there should be a presence of at least one-fourth of the members, that is 42 MPAs, to run the business of the house," he said. "But unfortunately we were only two which is why the speaker decided to adjourn the session."
Published in The Express Tribune, February 11th, 2015.