Senate session adjourned amidst heated arguments: Opposition leader denied permission to speak on IK’s health

ISLAMABAD: The second consecutive session of the Upper House of the Parliament ended in disruption on Monday after a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senator pointed out the quorum that was found lacking, leading to the adjournment of the session amidst heated arguments between the Treasury and the Opposition legislators over the health condition of the imprisoned former prime minister, Imran Khan.

During the Senate proceedings, the Leader of the Opposition, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, sought the Chair’s permission to speak on the matter involving Khan’s health.

However, Deputy Chairman Syedaal Khan, who was presiding over the session, denied the Opposition leader the permission to speak, stating that the issue involving Khan’s health was sub judice.

This did not go down well with the Opposition senators who protested against the deputy chairman’s decision, claiming that the lawmakers were legally empowered to hold debate on the floor of the House on any matter.

PTI’s Parliamentary Leader in the Senate, Ali Zafar, sought the Chair’s permission to present a resolution demanding that Khan be shifted to the Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad as ordered by the Supreme Court.

However, the deputy chairman observed that the Senate Secretariat had not been informed beforehand regarding the resolution.

He denied Zafar permission to present the resolution.

Law Minister Azam Tarar also opposed the resolution on the grounds that the case regarding Khan’s health had been pending in the Supreme Court.

The Opposition lawmakers staged a walkout from the Senate against what they described as “hostile” and “unfair” attitude of the deputy chairman.

PTI’s Mashal Yousafzai, in a replay of what had happened in the preceding session, pointed out the quorum that was found lacking, prompting the deputy chairman to adjourn the Senate session till Tuesday(today).

Before Monday’s session, the Senate had met briefly on Friday after Yousafzai pointed out the lack of quorum that caused an abrupt end to that session too.

After the dramatic turn of events involving Khan’s movement from the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in Islamabad during the early hours on Friday, the Opposition senators had been expected to register their protest during Friday’s session against what they alleged were non-implementation of the Supreme Court’s order to shift Khan to the Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad.

But, contrary to expectations, Yousafzai pointed out the lack of quorum, prompting Presiding Officer Manzoor Kakar to adjourn Friday’s session that allegedly denied the Opposition leaders the opportunity to express their views on Khan’s health.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026