Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The seventh sitting of the National Assembly on Thursday was adjourned due to a lack of quorum.

For the last several days, the Pakistan People’s Party was staging walk out over “forced disappearance” of Asif Zardari close aides.

Most of the PML-N lawmakers shied away from the session. As a result, the chair adjourned the proceedings.

Opposition interrupted the session twice to point out quorum.

Since April 12, opposition has been pointing out quorum and the government had failed five times to meet the quorum. However, the House succeeded in taking up its entire regular agenda today.

The PPP lawmakers staged a walkout against the “enforced disappearances”. The legislators did not return to the House until adjournment of the sitting.

The Standing Committee on Communications chairman presented the periodical report of the committee for the period July- December 2016. The House took up two call attention notices. The first notice was about insufficient seats for admission of deserving students in schools of Islamabad while the other was regarding sufferings of the patients due to non-availability of proper medical treatment at PIMS Hospital.

JI lawmakers staged a walkout against unsatisfactory reply to the notice related to sufferings of the patients.

First, a PTI lawmaker pointed out quorum at around 12:30pm, subsequently head count was made and the House was found in order. A PPP lawmaker again pointed out quorum at 1pm which led to the adjournment of the sitting.

Prior to the walkout, Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah on a point of order criticised the treasury benches and said parliament had been weakened by the government.

“People joint politics to earn respect but why we are facing trails in the courts. The Judge Sahab (commissions’ heading probing Dawn Leaks) says the decision would be made when all five members of the commission get agree. I have learnt Tariq Fatemi is being removed from his post,” Shah said.

He said Nawaz Sharif had no time for parliament which strengthened him during the PTI sit-in. “Now you are weakening the parliament and no one will come to rescue you,” he said. Afterwards on account of the “missing” loyalists the PPP announced a walk out.

Earlier, Aftab Sherpao on a point of order raised the issue of blocked CNICs.

Deputy Speaker Murtaza Abbasi said next week the meeting of the committee would be held and people would start getting relief.

A PML-N lawmaker introduced himself to surprise of many lawmakers, including the chair. Khalid Magsi said he won election from Jhal Magsi. He was of the view that his party ministers don’t know him. On this the opposition benches shouted ‘shame, shame’.