Absence of ministers: Opposition forces suspension of Senate proceedings

[ahlam1399]

ISLAMABAD: The Senate proceedings were suspended for 30 minutes for want of quorum, as the joint opposition stormed out of the House to agitate absence of ministers, linking start of budget debate with the availability of minister concerned at least.After the opposition staged walk-out, the National Party Senator Dr Ashok Kumar stayed back to point out that the House was not in order. Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani ordered ringing of bells for five minutes after the count was made and the minimum required presence of 26 senators was not there.The orders of the carried debate on the budget besides two calling attention notices, laying of reports of three different bills and a motion to seek more time to thrash out a report on the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2018, which was introduced by Senator Mian Muhammad Ateeq of MQM-Pakistan. of Senate proceedingsFormer chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani suggested to the chair to adjourn the House till the time, either minister of finance or minister for revenue was around to take notes of speeches by senators on the budget.“It will be a useless exercise in the absence of a minister concerned. The front rows meant for ministers are empty despite the fact there are federal as well as state ministers. The no show of ministers is disrespect to the House but they are not bothered to ensure their presence here,” he regretted.The matter was raised by PML-N Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi, who alleged that the absence of ministers showed their level of seriousness towards the House business. He insisted that the ministers accorded no respect to the House and on this, saying PTI Senator Azam Swati should also protest and join the walkout. Leader of the House Senator Shibli Faraz rose to say that it had been their utmost effort that the Senate business was transacted and no hurdle came its way. “But at times, ministers have to be present in the federal cabinet and today is the same day; ministers are busy in the cabinet meeting. Some are on the way. It was an understanding on Wednesday that the budget debate will start on Friday,” he pointed out.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/hewDWkgfRZU

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