Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The government on Wednesday took full advantage of a boycott by the opposition partiesfrom the National Assembly and got approved three important bills in a few minutes.

In continuation of their protest, the opposition parties walked out of the Lower House over absence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Considering it a golden opportunity, the government tabled and got approved important bills including one aimed at turning State Life Insurance Corporation into a company.

The government appeared to be in so hurry that it got approved the bills despite those were not on the order of the day and the National Assembly Secretariat issued a supplementary agenda on government’s directions. “The supplementary agenda was issued when the proceedings of the House were suspended due to lack of quorum,” a source in the NA Secretariat said. As per agenda, the chairmen of the standing committee concerned had to just present committee’s report. But when reports were tabled before the House suddenly,Commerce Minister KhuramDastgir tabled the State Life Insurance Corporation Restructuring Bill. Speaker SardarAyazSadiq started formal process for passage of the bill as no one opposed it because the opposition members had boycotted the proceedings.

After first and second readings, the speaker put the bill for final approval and it was unanimously approved in just couple of minutes.