National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza may be facing an awkward situation in the National Assembly proceedings today (Monday), as the House is likely to witness a glimpse of the ‘political storm’ caused by Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, the NA speaker’s husband.
The main opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), is all set to debate Mirza’s revelations against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), while the MQM would be defending its position against the diatribe. A source in the Parliament House told Pakistan Today on Sunday that the NA speaker had decided to face any possible situation in the House in the wake of the revelations made by her spouse and would chair the session.
He said Fehmida agreed to chair the session after the government decided to block any possible move by the PML-N or the MQM to open the “Pandora’s Box” in the House, saying the matter was subjudice. The National Assembly will meet at 5pm for a routine session, despite the requisition submitted by PML-N legislators with the NA Secretariat. The PML-N would attempt to take political mileage out of the situation and ask the government for a thorough probe into the revelations made from within the PPP ranks.
According to a PML-N source, the government would be asked to initiate an inquiry into Mirza’s allegations against the MQM and Rehman Malik to establish their authenticity and subsequent action against the responsible. Apparently under pressure, the MQM seems to be indecisive on how to respond to Mirza’s allegations in the House. MQM parliamentarian Dr Abdul Kadir Khanzada said, “We have decided nothing so far… the parliamentary committee of the MQM would discuss the situation before the start of the session and take an appropriate decision in this regard.”
The Pakistan People’s Party legislators are likely to adopt a tongue-tied policy for having been unable to defend the MQM against Mirza. Order of the day for Monday will include a calling attention notice by the PML-N regarding the theft of copper worth millions of rupees from a goods train at Lahore Railway Station. PML-N members have also submitted another calling attention notice regarding increase in the tariff of electricity by more than Rs 2 per unit.
Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh will introduce a bill to provide for regulation and enforcement provisions in the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan. He will also lay before the National Assembly the Third Quarterly Report for the year 2010-2011 of the central board of directors of the State Bank of Pakistan on the state of the economy.
Begum Nasim Akhtar Chaudhry, chairperson of the standing committee on law, justice and parliamentary affairs, will present the report of the standing committee on the bill to amend the Islamabad High Court Act, 2010. Legislative business will include The Private Power and Infrastructure Board Bill, 2010. The Upper House of parliament is also scheduled to meet today.
She should file for divorce.
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