–PTI minister says govt will table some bills in NA for debate, rest to be sent to NA bodies concerned
–PML-N’s Asif says Opp has agreed to take back no-trust motion against NA deputy speaker
–MQM, GDA lawmakers urge govt to let Nawaz go to London without any conditions
ISLAMABAD: In a move that will strengthen parliament, the federal government on Friday agreed to hold a debate on the hurriedly passed ordinances, whereas the opposition in return reciprocated the offer by taking back the no-confidence motion against National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri.
The lower house of parliament which has not seen much legislation over the past year witnessed another round of pandemonium at the start of this month when the government bulldozed 11 bills through the House without putting them up for debate.
Subsequently, the opposition moved the Islamabad High Court against the ordinances and also filed a no-trust move against Suri, who presided over the proceedings, for failing to uphold the parliamentary code of procedures.
But dust between the government and opposition has apparently settled down for good.
As the House resumed proceedings earlier in the day, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak said the government had “decided to improve the assembly’s atmosphere”, therefore agreeing to withdraw the controversial bills.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Swati said that the bills that were passed and ordinances tabled in the assembly on November 7 will be presented in the parliament again for debate and a consensus will be developed.
He added that a debate will be held on the controversial ordinance, which dissolved the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and paved the way for the establishment of Pakistan Medial Commission.
Swati told the House that the government and opposition had agreed that Letters of Administration and Succession Certificates Ordinance, 2019, Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Ordinance, 2019, Legal Aid and Justice Authority Ordinance, 2019, Superior Courts (Court Dress and Mode of Address) Ordinance, 2019, will be withdrawn and passed on the day of withdrawal, APP reported.
Benami Transaction (Prohibition) (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and The National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2019 will be sent back to the relevant committees, he added.
Former finance minister Asad Umar lauded opposition’s decision to withdraw the no-trust motion against Suri and said: “All of us have come here [in the House] from the public’s vote and we should focus on solving the people’s problems.”
“Legislation done by committees is more effective. After five years, people will say that Speaker Asad Qaiser strengthened this House,” he added.
Meanwhile, Khawaja Asif told the House that the opposition would withdraw the no-confidence motion. In return, the government would withdraw the controversial bills and send them to parliamentary committees for approval.
‘SEND NAWAZ ABROAD OVER HEALTH ISSUE’:
A lawmaker belonging to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) urged the government to allow former PM Nawaz to leave the country for medical treatment.
Grand Democratic Alliance’s Ghous Bux Khan Mahar also endorsed the MQM lawmaker’s stance and said that the government “should not do politics over Nawaz Sharif’s health”.
Meanwhile, speaking in the House, Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari admitted that the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s oversight in hiring a man, who was recently arrested for raping a minor for four days and filming him, as a consultant for the government.
“Who hired [the suspect] and over whose recommendation?” PPP lawmaker Abdul Qadir Patel inquired. He demanded that a committee be formed to look into the matter. Mazari said that she “condemned the incident”, adding that the international organisations refer consultants.
