–Senators briefly boycott session after war of words between Rabbani and Shibli Faraz
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Mian Raza Rabbani inquired on Tuesday about the time the government will bring forth the new National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, adding that efforts are being made to delay it.
The senator was addressing the Upper House of Parliament, where he said that it seems that the International Monetary Fund’s officials have cornered Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The senator said that this particular lobby around the PM is also against the 18th Amendment and provincial autonomy.
Rabbani said that a former IMF official is now the adviser on the economy, adding that the governor of the State Bank is also an ex-IMF official.
He said that if the tax collection system is weak then it is the failure of the federal government, in a direct reference to PM Imran’s statement on Monday.
Rabbani said if provinces are not given their due right then internal instability will take root.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also addressed the House and said that neither is the 18th Constitutional Amendment being rolled back, nor is presidential system being imposed in the country.
Defending Baqir’s appointment, Qureshi said the government had made the selection on merit. He said that Baqir was a son of Pakistan and he was going to serve the country at a minimal salary.
He said it was worth looking at why Pakistan had to approach the IMF. He said that the IMF does not approach governments itself, but countries go to the global lender in their time of need.
Furthermore, the upper house also witnessed a war of words between ex-Senate chairman Raza Rabbani and Leader of the House Shibli Faraz after the former criticised the interior ministry for being oblivious to the senator’s queries.
Rabbani said the Ministry of Interior didn’t reply to nine out of the 10 questions. The opposition benches staged walkout from the session to protest the absence of the interior minister in the house.
“You want to sabotage proceedings of the house with routine daily protest without any reason,” Senator Shibli retorted.
Senator Azam Khan Swati said that it was unprecedented in parliament’s history that despite the federal cabinet in session, several ministers were present in the house to answer senators’ questions about their respective departments.
Later, Senator Swati managed to convince the opposition lawmakers to end their boycott on the request of Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.
