Naik to get expert legal opinion on Haideri

Observing a “visible division” in the House over the appointment of Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri as Senate opposition leader, Senate Chairman Farooq H Naik on Wednesday announced to hear legal experts on the issue to resolve it according to law, constitution, rules of procedure and parliamentary practices.

The appointment of Haideri as the opposition leader in the Senate dominated the proceedings of the House for the third consecutive day, forcing the chair to adopt an amicable method to resolve the complexities in the matter.
Naik told the House that a meeting of legal experts on the issue would be convened and invited Senator Ishaq Dar and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri to meet him after session to decide how and when

should the discussion by the legal experts take place.
“I have been hearing members on the issue with regard to the notification which has been issued appointing Haideri as the leader of the opposition.

There is a division in the House; I can see that. Legal complexities are involved in the matter which I feel must be resolved per rules, law, constitution and parliamentary practices,” he observed amidst reservations of the opposition members. Naek said the proposed proceedings would have a historical impact on the future parliamentary traditions and practices in Pakistan.

“Keeping every thing in mind, I have decided in the interest of justice, equity and fair play to hear legal experts on the matter,” he added.

Later, the Senate resumed general discussion on the next year’s federal budget. Taking part in the debate, Gul Muhammad Lot said no new tax had been levied in the current budget, which would provide relief to the people. He welcomed the reduction in general sales tax and proposed bring it down to 14 percent from the current 16 percent.
He said the reduction in excise duties would help check the prices of essential commodities and reduce the price of other construction material, including cement.

Appreciating the raise in salaries and pensions of government employees, Lot said a minimum wage should also be announced for the labour class and suggested increasing tax exemption from Rs 350,000 to Rs 450,000 to facilitate the salaried class. Abdul Haseeb Khan said no govt in the past had give attention to the cottage industry and criticised the government for not imposing tax on agricultural incom.

Maulana Gul Naseeb lamented that the government did not focus on agriculture sector, adding that foreign funding to the sector went into the pockets of corrupt people. He also criticised the government for not promoting Gwadar Port. Speaking on a point of order, Senator Babar Awan said the country’s nuclear assets were in safe hands and no one should doubt their security.