• Deputy speaker asks cabinet members, parliamentary secretaries to show seriousness • PTI ministers blamed for pre-poll rigging in AJK • Opposition accused of massive corruption

ISLAMABAD: While most items on the agenda of the National Assembly session were deferred due to the absence of cabinet members and parliamentary secretaries, Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri on Tuesday adjourned the proceedings abruptly, following a heated exchange of words between the treasury and opposition members over the upcoming elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

Before adjourning the session till Wednesday (today) morning, Mr Suri issued a ruling directing ministers and parliamentary secretaries to ensure their presence and take the NA proceedings “seriously”.

When the chair issued the ruling, only Parliamentary Secretary for Interior Shaukat Ali was present in the house, while Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan left after facing criticism from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker Abdul Qadir Patel over the issue of alleged rigging in the AJK elections.

Interestingly, the ministers’ absence was pointed out by Nuzhat Pathan, a legislator of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), who regretted that the cabinet members and parliamentary secretaries were absent on private members’ day, though the weekly cabinet meeting had ended early this Tuesday.

Mr Suri had to defer a number of bills and other items on the agenda due to the absence of either the minister concerned or the mover. The NA Secretariat had issued an 84-point agenda for the day, including introduction of 17 private member’s bills, but only seven bills were introduced and the remaining agenda had to be deferred.

Currently, the 51-member federal cabinet comprises 27 ministers, four ministers of state, four advisers and 16 special assistants to the prime minister. Besides, there are 39 parliamentary secretaries who are responsible for giving replies to the queries of elected representatives in the absence of the ministers, taking the total to 90 in the 342-member lower house of parliament.

Water shortage

Earlier, the treasury as well as the opposition members expressed concern over the short supply of water to Punjab and Sindh provinces, alleging that the Centre had failed to provide water to the provinces according to the agreed formula.

The issue came up under discussion when Khawaja Sheeraz Mehmood of the PTI raised the matter “regarding short supply of water to the Punjab province by IRSA” through a calling attention notice.

Ghaus Bakhsh Mahar of the Grand Democratic Alliance and Khursheed Junejo of the PPP also raised voice over the issue. Mr Suri referred the matter to the relevant committee after the members expressed their dissatisfaction over the response given by Parliamentary Secretary for Water Resources Saleh Mohammad.

AJK polls

Speaking on a point of order, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Khurram Dastagir said it was federal government’s responsibility to ensure free and transparent elections without intervention from the Centre so that they could show it to the world that Pakistan had ensured provision of fundamental rights to the people living in Kashmir.

The PML-N lawmaker “condemned” the federal ministers for announcing that they would spend money in the constituencies in proportion to the victory margins.

He said the video clips were available showing the ministers paying Rs500,000 to the people and promising billions of rupees during their election campaign.

Mr Dastagir said the entire world was watching the AJK polls. If they would do such acts then how could they condemn India for carrying out delimitation in the occupied territory, he pointed out.

Responding to the PML-N member, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan delivered an emotional speech in which he lashed out at the PML-N and PPP leadership for “doing nothing” for the people of Kashmir during their respective governments.

The minister took exception to the allegations that the PTI government had sold off Kashmir and said: “No Pakistani could ever think of doing so.”

Taking the floor, PPP legislator Abdul Qadir Patel then lashed out at the PTI government, saying if the PTI won the AJK elections, it would implement the same programme of “poverty, price-hike and unemployment” that it had successfully implemented in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2021