ISLAMABAD: The opposition on Friday staged a token walkout from the session of the upper house of the parliament over the absence of ministers and unsatisfactory replies during the question hour.
The session started with Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani in the chair.
Federal Minister for Power Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari tabled the motion before the house regarding further amendment in the Regulation of Generation Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Bill, 2017.
Senate chairman said that quorum was not complete for legislation and a bill could not be approved without the quorum. First, complete the quorum and then table the agenda for legislation in the house, he added.
After that, the Leader of the House in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq and Awais Leghari brought the senators in the house and completed the quorum.
Senate chairman asked Awais Leghari to table the bill for legislation in the house and he tabled it for debate.
Earlier, the session of the house was chaired by Col (r) Tahir Hussain Mushadi. He expressed his annoyance over the incomplete replies of ministers during the question answer session and said that ministers should take the affairs of the house seriously and ensure their presence during the sessions.
Senator Ahmed Hassan said that rulers had become senseless as the ministers were not present in the house and announced to stage a symbolic walkout from the house.
After that, all the members of combined opposition walked out but later the treasurer benches brought them back in the house.
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said that balloting was the only way for the selection of pilgrims as the government did not receive any profit or interest on the amount collected for Hajj.
Federal Minister for Housing Akram Khan Durrani said that NAB should take action against him if it found any evidence of corruption against him.
“Land for a mosque in my ministry is not allotted on the basis of sect. It is our policy that all the Muslims should offer prayers in one mosque,” he said.
Later, the chairman adjourned the session of the house for an indefinite period.
