- Rabbani judges every motion within purview of rules
Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani on Monday rejected all three adjournment motions by the members as none of these was found in order under the Senate rules.
The chairman listened to the arguments of the movers of these motions as none of the motions by Karim Ahmed Khawaja, Azam Khan Swati, Nauman Wazir and Ateeq Sheikh were found in order. Senator Karim had moved to raise the issue of notices to transgender persons by the police to evict Swat, Nowshera, Mardan and Bannu areas.
Other adjournment motion was moved by Azam Swati, Shibli Faraz, Ateeq Sheikh, Nauman Khattak and others regarding unofficial meeting of Sajan Jindal, an Indian businessman, with the prime minister, without involvement of the Foreign Office.
The third adjournment motion was moved by Tahir Hussain Mashhadi and Azam Swati regarding non-provision of clean drinking water to residents of the federal capital. On the first adjournment motion, the chairman said the matter has already been taken up by the National Human Rights Commission and its one meeting has already been held on the subject.
“Therefore, I am asking the Human Rights Committee of the House to look into this matter as I am disallowing the issue to be raised in the House through an adjournment motion,” he added. On the second adjournment motion, the chairman said since the matter of Jindal had already been raised in the House, therefore, it could not be allowed again if it was presented within less than six-month time.
Similarly, he said the issue of drinking water was also raised recently and was referred to the Ministry of CADD from where the report had already been received. He said the rules do not allow this motion in the House. The movers has pleaded to justify their stances with everybody trying to prove that the issue raised in his or her motion was of an urgent nature and needed to be discussed in the House.
However, the chairman judged every motion within the purview of the rules and finding not in order, rejected all the three motions.
SPECIAL REPORT: The Senate witnessed presentation of two reports and also adopted special report of Standing Committee on Finance about payments made to clear the circular debt of power sector. Standing Committee on National Health Services Chairman Senator Sajjad Hussain Turi presented report on the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (Amendment) Bill, 2017.
Likewise, Standing Committee on Finance chairman presented report on point of public importance regarding amnesty scheme for motor vehicles. The House also adopted a special report of Standing Committee on Finance with majority vote which was about payments made to clear debt of the power sector amounting to Rs. 480 billion during the year 2013.
Seventeen lawmakers voted in favor of this report and nine Senators against it. Later, the Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani suspended the proceedings for 30 minutes over absence of high officials from Ministry of Finance to take notes of proposals made in the House by Senators on Annual Budget.