ISLAMABAD: The Senate’s second sitting of the 354th session was adjourned within minutes without taking up a single item from the lengthy agenda due to a lack of quorum.
Awami National Party Senator Umer Farooq from Balochistan pointed out the quorum. When PPP Parliamentary Leader Sherry Rehman, who was presiding over the sitting, ordered a count, it was found that the house did not have the required minimum number of members present.
At the time, independent Senator from Balochistan Asad Qasim was on his feet to speak on the recent terrorist attack in the province. The chair reminded him that a debate on the matter had already been held on Tuesday, but said she had no objection to discussing it again.
Bells were rung for five minutes, but only 19 members were present. This prompted the chair to adjourn the session until Monday afternoon, despite requests from some opposition and treasury members to be given the floor to raise important issues.
Before adjourning, she explained that on members’ request, the Balochistan situation was to be debated, and that Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar had also been invited to brief the house on Gaza and deliver a policy statement.
“We are not counting heads to maintain quorum. It is not the PPP’s responsibility to maintain quorum,” she told The News when asked after the session whether the party had barred its members from ensuring their presence in the House on Friday as a protest.
She clarified that five to six PPP legislators were present in the house when the quorum was pointed out.
On the opening day of the new session, senators from the ruling coalition partner PPP had stormed out of the house in protest against remarks made by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz at a recent event, linking their support to the government’s legislative business with an apology from her to their party.
PPP Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro from Sindh had also made a speech on the floor, announcing non-cooperation in legislation.
In response, senior PMLN leader Senator Rana Sanaullah Khan clarified that there was nothing “controversial” in the chief minister’s remarks, and questioned who would respond if Punjab was criticised.