Disrupted debate : NA session cut short on lack of quorum
Opposition stages walkout over absence of ministers
PHOTO: APP
ISLAMABAD:
The National Assembly proceedings were once again cut short on Thursday due to empty treasury benches with the exception of one federal minister after the entire opposition staged a walkout to protest against the government.
“We cannot become part of this house unless government changes its attitude,” said Syed Naveed Qamar of the Pakistan Peoples Party before announcing a walkout from the proceedings. He pointed out that the front row, dedicated for federal ministers, was empty and there was no one to respond to their queries.
The walkout was joined by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Mehmood Khan Achakzai of PkMAP and then by Jamat-e-Islami over another issue, leaving behind only a dozen of PML-N members. SAFRON minister Lt General (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch was the only exception in addition to omnipresent Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed. It was noted that the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar entered the house the moment count was being made. This prompted Amir Dogar, an independent, to point out quorum.
Interestingly, all those MNAs of the ruling PML-N who were sitting in lobbies instead of the house started rushing in and according to FAFEN report the number of members present at the time of adjournment was 52 or 15 percent which before that was not more than 20.
The Deputy Speaker was left with no option but to adjourn the proceedings until the next day which provided the members an opportunity to exchange pleasantries with Chaudhry Nisar, who is rumored to have strained ties with the PM and was found missing during the visit of Chinese President except for a cameo appearance during the visiting dignitary’s address to parliament. Nisar remained in the house for some 10 minutes, after the adjournment was announced, and was seen in pleasant mood while interacting with colleagues.
Earlier, perturbed by the absence of ministers and government functionaries Mehmood Khan Achakzai said that parliament was the institution which could ask anyone for attendance and they were bound to obey the orders.
Meanwhile, two bills - National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Bill 2015 and the Gas (Theft Control and Recovery) Bill - were introduced in the House and referred to relevant committees for further deliberations. Minister for Science and Technology Rana Tanveer proposed the establishment of Pakistan Halal Authority [PHA] through an Act of Parliament. The purpose, he said, was to promote exports of certified Halal articles and processes.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 24th, 2015.
The National Assembly proceedings were once again cut short on Thursday due to empty treasury benches with the exception of one federal minister after the entire opposition staged a walkout to protest against the government.
“We cannot become part of this house unless government changes its attitude,” said Syed Naveed Qamar of the Pakistan Peoples Party before announcing a walkout from the proceedings. He pointed out that the front row, dedicated for federal ministers, was empty and there was no one to respond to their queries.
The walkout was joined by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Mehmood Khan Achakzai of PkMAP and then by Jamat-e-Islami over another issue, leaving behind only a dozen of PML-N members. SAFRON minister Lt General (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch was the only exception in addition to omnipresent Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed. It was noted that the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar entered the house the moment count was being made. This prompted Amir Dogar, an independent, to point out quorum.
Interestingly, all those MNAs of the ruling PML-N who were sitting in lobbies instead of the house started rushing in and according to FAFEN report the number of members present at the time of adjournment was 52 or 15 percent which before that was not more than 20.
The Deputy Speaker was left with no option but to adjourn the proceedings until the next day which provided the members an opportunity to exchange pleasantries with Chaudhry Nisar, who is rumored to have strained ties with the PM and was found missing during the visit of Chinese President except for a cameo appearance during the visiting dignitary’s address to parliament. Nisar remained in the house for some 10 minutes, after the adjournment was announced, and was seen in pleasant mood while interacting with colleagues.
Earlier, perturbed by the absence of ministers and government functionaries Mehmood Khan Achakzai said that parliament was the institution which could ask anyone for attendance and they were bound to obey the orders.
Meanwhile, two bills - National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Bill 2015 and the Gas (Theft Control and Recovery) Bill - were introduced in the House and referred to relevant committees for further deliberations. Minister for Science and Technology Rana Tanveer proposed the establishment of Pakistan Halal Authority [PHA] through an Act of Parliament. The purpose, he said, was to promote exports of certified Halal articles and processes.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 24th, 2015.