Staff Reporter
Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri on Thursday issued warning to the government ministers, parliamentary secretaries and relevant government officials for ignoring the House business and staying absent from the proceedings.
The National Assembly met for three hours and 11 minutes; however, the proceedings remained suspended for an hour due to lack of quorum. The sitting started at 1147 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri presided over the entire sitting in the absence of Speaker. The Leaders of the House (Prime Minister) and the Opposition did not attend the sitting. As many as 42 (12%) were present at the outset and 71 (21%) at the adjournment of the sitting. The parliamentary leaders of PPPP and PML attended the sitting. Five out of 10 minority lawmakers were present.
The Chair took serious notice of the absence of the government ministers, parliamentary secretaries and relevant government officials from the House during the time of consideration of agenda related to their ministries and warned them to attend the proceedings in future.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs moved the Federal Public Service Commission (Validation of Rules) Bill, 2019 but it was not considered for passage due to less attendance of lawmakers in the House.
Three other bills including the e Mutual Legal Assistance (Criminal Matters) Bill, 2019, the Banks (Nationalization) (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the University of Islamabad Bill, 2019 were not considered.
Chairman Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges presented report of the Committee on the amendment in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007.
