NA admits adjournment motion for debate about increase in electricity prices

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Tuesday admitted an adjournment motion for debate which was regarding recent increase in electricity prices and circular debt.

The motion was moved by PPPP legislator Naveed Qamar under Rule 110 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in National Assembly, 2007 and the Chair admitted it for debate.

Taking part in debate about admissibility of the motion, PPPP MNA Naveed Qamar said that adjournment motions of opposition were not commonly entertained and this practice was against parliamentary norms.

He said there was a tradition in the parliamentary system of other countries that proceedings were immediately suspended to discuss any matter of public importance.

In Pakistan, he said that adjournment motions were submitted 24 hour before the proceedings but such interventions were not commonly entertained in the house.

He said that price of electricity had been increased Re 1 and 95 paisa per unit which would result in inflation in the country.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that adjournment motions should be entertained as per provision in the Rules but Opposition would have to participate in the parliamentary proceedings instead of point scoring.

He said that former Speaker of 14th National Assembly used to kill adjournment motions and record of National Assembly from 2013-2018 is evident of it. “Valid adjournment motions as per rules will be taken up,” he assured the Opposition and said that democratic norms and rules would be followed.

He also criticized the Sindh government for using official resources in bye-elections in Umer Kot-11 (PS-52).

PPPP lawmaker Raja Pervez Ashraf said that Parliament represented the constituents and it was our responsibility to discuss the matters related to them.

He said that women and teachers were staging sit-in outside the Parliament while the main hospital of Islamabad – Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital – was not fully functional for the last 18 days. He demanded the chair to allow debate on matters of public importance including recent hike in prices of electricity.

Following these arguments, the chair admitted the motion for debate. Minister for Power Division also supported the decision of the chair of admit the motion; however, he asked the Opposition to remain present in the House to know about the deeds of their past which caused this recent increase.