ISLAMABAD: The government on Monday laid ‘The Elections (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021’ – the controversial ordinance for open balloting in the Senate elections – in the National Assembly amid no major protests by the opposition parties as expected like they did in previous sessions.
The ordinance was laid in the House on the orders of NA Speaker Asad Qaiser following objections by PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who had said that ”according to the constitution, those ordinances, which are promulgated in the absence of the House, should be tabled on the first day of the next session for debate”.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan presented ‘The Special Technology Zones Authority Ordinance, 2020’ and ‘The Elections (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021.’
Similarly, as many as 13 reports which also include 1st Biannual Monitoring on Implementation of NFC Award for July-December 2019 were presented in the house.
The House did not consider two government bills and as many calling attention notices, a motion under Rule 259 and a motion of thanks to the president.
The lack of quorum halted the proceedings of the House and it was adjourned to meet again on today at 4pm.
The government had tabled the 26th Constitution Amendment Bill in the National Assembly on Feb 3rd without trying to take the opposition on board.
The opposition parties had not only rejected the move, but lodged a strong noisy protest in the assembly when the speaker put the bill before the house for a general discussion.
Meanwhile, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNAs from Karachi kept demanding the floor from the NA speaker to speak on Sindh Assembly opposition leader’s ‘manhandling’ by the police on the behest of the Sindh government.
They shouted slogans against Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, saying he is the man involved in ‘manhandling’ of the opposition leader in Sindh provincial assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh. When the NA speaker allowed PTI MNA Moeen Khan to speak on the issue, Agha Rafiullah of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) pointed out the quorum, leaving the chair with no option but to adjourn the House.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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