ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly descended into an almost surreal spectacle on Friday, as the Deputy Speaker was forced to adjourn proceedings after failing to secure a quorum, underscoring persistent dysfunction at a moment of regional crisis.
The ongoing session, called last Monday in the wake of the recent Israel-US military strike on Iran, began at 11am under the chairmanship of Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah.
What should have been a solemn debate on Pakistan’s foreign policy instead turned into a stark demonstration of absenteeism.
Both treasury and opposition benches were conspicuously under populated, with a few government ministers in attendance and senior opposition leaders notably absent.
The disruption came almost immediately when Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Iqbal Afridi pointed out that the House lacked the minimum 87 members required to proceed.
Deputy Speaker Shah briefly suspended proceedings and ordered a headcount, but numbers remained depressingly low. With no quorum in sight, the gavel came down and the session was formally adjourned until Monday at 3pm.
The timing of the absenteeism drew particular criticism. The recent Israel-US strikes on Iran have heightened anxieties across South Asia, and the assembly had been expected to debate Pakistan’s stance, signalling leadership and concern to the international community.
Instead, the session projected an image of a parliament disengaged from its responsibilities.
Attendance issues have long plagued the legislative process in the country, with previous sessions disrupted by walkouts, boycotts, and procedural theatrics.
Yet Friday’s quorum failure, during a debate on matters of international security, highlights a continuing failure by lawmakers from both benches to take the House seriously.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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