Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Opposition leader in the National Assembly Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah on Wednesday said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had always supported the government for the sake of democracy and smooth functioning of the system, but the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) never gave importance to parliament.

“The prime minister and his cabinet members always avoid attending the proceedings. PM Nawaz Sharif remained in exile for a long time but did not learn a lesson. He rarely comes to parliament,” the PPP leader said on the floor of the House.

He said that during the local bodies election in Rahim Yar Khan district, the PPP won most of the seats, but the PML-N could not digest the results. He said that PPP candidates were in majority in the district council of Rahim Yar Khan, but the PML-N pressurised and compelled them to resign so that the PML-N remained in majority.

Shah said that during the general election in 2013, the PML-N secured an outright majority and the PPP accepted it. “Why the PML-N leader could not accept the result of Rahim Yar Khan local bodies’ election?” he questioned. He asked the premier to shun politics of confrontation and let democratic values flourish in the country. “We support democracy, and in return the response has been very negative.”

Responding to Shah’s concern, PML-N legislator Shaikh Fayyazuddin said that a wrong picture had been presented before the opposition leader. He claimed that he would resign if it was established that the PPP secured a majority in the local bodies election in Rahim Yar Khan.

The PML-N legislators were unable to complete the quorum of the House when PPP MNA Imran Zafar Laghari pointed it out after Maghrib prayers.

After counting, the deputy speaker had no option but to adjourn the proceeding until today (Thursday).

Earlier, the House passed “The Pakistan National Accreditation Council Bill, 2016”, presented by Law Minister Zahid Hamid. The House was informed that the main purpose of the bill was to establish an internationally recognised accreditation system to accredit conformity assessment bodies, including laboratories, certification bodies and inspection agencies, to address the non-tariff barriers to trade.

Responding to a calling attention notice, State Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told the House that the government had taken appropriate measures to stop encroachment on Capital Development Authority (CDA) land, and in this regard, 400 members of the enforcement section had been told to deal with issues related to encroachments. During the question hours, the House was informed that a proposal was under consideration before the cabinet for the lifting of moratorium on new gas schemes. Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resource Jam Kamal said that a special cabinet committee would also be constituted to work out a framework for this purpose.

He said that the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) had been providing domestic gas connections in its area of operation as per the merit.

The minister of state said that imported LNG was being provided to the CNG, fertiliser and power sectors along with industries. He said the government was working on different projects to fill the gap between the supply and demand of gas. These include the construction of new LNG terminals and the expansion of gas pipeline network by the SNGPL and SSGPL, he said. He said the completion of the remaining two terminals by 2017 would help meet gas shortages.

Parliamentary Secretary for Science and Technology Muhammad Talal Chaudhry told the House that restructuring of the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority had been proposed to meet the best international practices. He said a summary in this regard was under consideration for approval.