Opposition walks out of Senate over four ordinances presented by govt

ISLAMABAD: The government came under scathing attack in the Senate Tuesday for what the joint opposition called rendering the Parliament redundant by promulgation of record 15 ordinances in a year and dubbed the waiving off Rs210 billion to industrialists and businessmen the biggest dacoity ever committed.

The opposition protested over laying of four ordinances, which were part of the orders of the day: the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority Ordinance No. VIII, 2019, Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority Ordinance No. IV, Pakistan Penal Code Ordinance No. VI and the National Counter Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance No. VII.

President Dr Arif Alvi was also accused of violating the Constitution instead of applying his mind with regards to ordinances and that he had made two major constitutional violations i.e. by issuing an ordinance on gas cess a day before the Senate session and notifying two members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in negation of Articles 213 and 218.

The House also saw the opposition staging walk-out to protest the promulgation of ordinances and not pushing pieces of legislation through the Parliament. Their exit led to lack of quorum, as when count was made only 15 senators were present and Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani read out the presidential promulgation order of the session, which was earlier announced to continue till September 06.

Former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani charged that under a well-thought out ploy, the government was rendering the Parliament redundant and also committing breach of the Parliament, as the main function of the Senate was to do legislation but the government was trying to take cover under Article-89 of the Constitution. His verbal attack on the President and the government was punctuated with chants of shame, shame by the opposition legislators. Rabbani pointed out that the government’s mala fide intent was also evident from the fact that the fifth ordinance on waiving off GIDC was not laid, fearing it would be disapproved. He pointed out that till 2009, loans amounting to Rs257 billion had been written off while this government in one go waved off Rs210 billion through an ordinance.

“The President House is not an ordinance factory that whatever is sent to him, he readily okays it. The Constitution requires him to apply his mind, keeping in view the fact that promulgation is vital to ensuring continuity. And this was also quite clear in the court judgements,” he noted.

The PPP Senator Sherry Rehman also agitated on the lying of four ordinances by Federal Minister Azam Swati on the last day of the 293rd session. She alleged that the PTI government was acting in total contrast to its pledges of upholding the Constitution, merit and giving due importance to the Parliament.

She noted that four ordinances that the government had laid in the Senate were proof that the government wanted to bypass the opposition’s majority in the Senate and legislate solely through presidential ordinances.

“The housing scheme that they are trying to build through this ordinance is already very controversial, which has demolished people’s homes rather than giving them free housing. If there was any merit to this scheme, then why wouldn’t they bring this bill through the standing committee,” she questioned

The JI Senator Sirajul Haq said Pakistan was not in a state of war yet there was a tsunami of ordinances.

Leader of Opposition Raja Zafarul Haq said it appeared the Senate had been turned into an ordinance factory, as instead of following a laid down constitutional path for legislation, the government was opting for short-cut.

Leader of the House Syed Shibli Faraz said the government wanted to do way with the practice (ordinance promulgation) but the opposition was playing dual role, as it behaved differently during the committees’ proceedings and in the House.