ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Friday failed in transacting any business, as the House was adjourned a few minutes after its proceedings began, due to a lack of quorum.
Apart from the question hour, presentation of five government bills, introduction of a government bill, withdrawal of a government bill, presentation of four reports, laying of an ordinance, laying of a report, two calling attention notices, an amendment in the Senate rules, and discussion on an admitted adjournment motion were on the Senate’s business agenda, none of which was taken as the session lasted 10 minutes.
In the absence of the chairman and deputy chairman Senate, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Parliamentary Leader Sherry Rehman presided over the House proceedings.
The quorum was found to be lacking after being pointed out by the opposition side, with only 19 members in the 96-seat Senate present.
Before adjourning the Senate till Monday, Rehman said that the House was scheduled to hold a debate on the Balochistan situation, and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was scheduled to brief the House on the Gaza situation in Friday’s session.
The Rule 5 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate 2012 reads that if, at any time during a sitting of the Senate, the attention of the presiding officer is drawn to the fact that less than one-fourth of the total membership of the Senate is present, he shall cause the bells to be rung for five minutes, but if no quorum is available even when the bells stop ringing, he shall adjourn the sitting for thirty minutes and if again there is no quorum he shall adjourn the sitting for the next working day: Provided that a member pointing out quorum shall remain present in the chamber until a decision is made by the chairman on the “pointation” of quorum.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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