As a mark of “disillusionment”, Senate Deputy Chairman Jan Muhammad Jamali adjourned the proceedings of the House for 10 minutes as the absence of federal ministers from the House continued to irritate the senators for the second consecutive day on Thursday. Much to the government’s embarrassment, the presiding officer, Tahir Mashhadi had to defer the question hour to the next session as the ministers concerned were absent from the House. Giving his ruling on the deferment of the questions, he said, “In no way the absence of ministers who have flouted the democratic norms and let down their own government, can be condoned.”
Calling it an irresponsible attitude on the part of the ministers, he hoped that they would ensure their presence and respond to the queries of the members in future. Chief Whip Islamuddin Sheikh said some of the ministers could not attend the session as they had gone for Haj. Earlier, the senators including Safdar Abbasi, Ishaq Dar, Zahid Khan, Azam Swati and Khurshid Ahmad criticised the government’s attitude towards the Upper House of parliament and demanded deferment of the question hour. Treasury Senator Safdar Abbasi lashed out at the government for its attitude, saying there was no harmony amongst the cabinet members as a minister had gone against the government in the Supreme Court. He warned that in the next elections, the people would hold the PPP accountable. He said FATA members had been raising their concerns for the many days but no one paid heed to them.
Khurshid Ahmed criticised the government for not taking parliament into confidence on the issue of granting status of Most Favoured Nation to India. Members asked the government to review the decision of two weekly holidays, saying the move was adversely affecting the economy and adding to the problems of the people. Ilyas Ahmad Bilour‚ Wasim Sajjad‚ Azam Khan Swati and Khurshid Ahmad said the gazetted holidays observed throughout the year should also be slashed. They were of the view that Pakistan being a poor country could not afford two weekly holidays.
