ISLAMABAD – Showing rare unity, senators from all parties on Saturday staged a token walkout from the Upper House against the absence of ministers from the proceeding of the House. No minister was present in the House to answer questions raised by members, who wanted to grill them on issues like the hike in petroleum prices and power outages in Balochistan’s 16 districts for the past 22 days. “We want to speak on issues like the 22-day power outage in 16 districts of Balochistan, hike in petroleum prices and strike by young doctors, but there is no minister present in the House to answer the queries.
This House has become only a debating club and I request all the members of the House to stage a token walkout to protest against the behaviour of the ministers,” JUI-F Senator Maulana Abdul Gaffoor Haideri said. All members of the House, including treasury members, except Leader of the House Nayyar Bukhari, Sabir Baloch and Sugra Imam, walked out of the House. Haideri asked the Leader of the House to join them as well and show solidarity for issues of public interest. “Let me remain in the House as someone should be here to bring the members back,” Bukhari replied.
