ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly session was marred on Wednesday as opposition walked out after pointing out quorum in protest against what they said replies to their questions were not given by the various ministries.
The sitting started with NA Speaker Asad Qaisar in the chair. But soon after the commencement of proceedings, the speaker gave the floor to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA Naveed Qamar, who said that replies to their questions are not given despite passage of so many months.
Qamar said that the people all over the country are facing severe gas load-shedding in the country, but the government is not bothered by the issue.
He said that the only focus of the government is on the ordinances as today’s agenda also carries eight ordinances and matters of urgent attention such as the gas crisis is nowhere to be discussed.
He said that the government had made the parliament for only ordinances and not for legislation, adding if this is what the parliament is for, we are not going to participate in the session.
He then pointed out the quorum following a walkout by the joint opposition, leaving the chair with no option but to adjourn the house till Friday at 11am as the quorum was not complete upon counting due to absence of the majority MPs from treasury as well.
The House could not take up legislative business, six resolutions seeking extension of as many ordinances, five reports of standing committees, and four statutory reports.
A motion of thanks to the president for his address to both Houses was not taken up. The NA speaker also announced panel of chairpersons to conduct proceedings of the house in the absence of the speaker and the deputy.
Meanwhile, in a written reply, the Minister for Interior, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, informed the house that the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has registered a total of 84.28 million females, which include 59.29 million adults and 24.99 million minors, which is 46.12 percent of the total registered population.
Besides, he said that male and female population of the country is 48.5 percent and 51.5 percent, respectively, adding the Nadra is making every possible effort to cover remaining population especially women, but it cannot be achieved without citizens’ cooperation.
“Nadra has taken various steps for issuance of computerized national identity cards (CNICs) to all eligible women in Pakistan like issuance of CNIC for fresh applicants free of cost, deployment of 10x female mobile registration vans (MRVs), establishment of 19x female registration centers and observance of Fridays as female day at all Nadra registration centres,” he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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