ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Monday witnessed an exchange of barbs between former prime minister and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Minister for Aviation Division Ghulam Sarwar Khan during the question hour.
The government and opposition also exchanged harsh remarks on a motion moved for extending the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Ordinance, 2019 for further 125 days. The extension in the ordinance was approved by the majority voice vote. The exchange of barbs took place when Ghulam Sarwar Khan while responding to a question asked during the question-hour said the PIA was running into losses, while Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s Air Blue was making profits.
On a point of explanation, Abbasi said Ghulam Sarwar was in the PPP when things were going wrong and he was also part of it. He said special assistant to the PM had made a statement that minister for petroleum was replaced due to corruption in the ministry.
“The tariffs of gas have increased and people are getting inflated bills,” he said. Speaker Asad Qaiser turned off Abbasi’s mike and gave the floor to Ghulam Sarwar Khan but the opposition gathered round his dais insisting that Abbasi be allowed to complete his point.
As the speaker turned on his mike, Abbasi offered that he could draft a road map for the government to reduce gas prices and the gas companies losses within six months. He said lawmakers should avoid locking horns over personal issues. “Others will come and say the politicians have failed to deliver,” he warned.
He asked the chair to run the proceedings as per the agenda. “Personal brawls of politicians will not help democracy flourish,” he added. Responding to Abbasi, Sarwar Khan said he was being elected to the assemblies since 1985 and if his assets had increased since 1985 then he should be hanged at the D-Chowk. He said inquiries were not being carried out against him but against those who entered into 15-deal on the LNG import.
Meanwhile, speaking on a point of order, Maulana Asad Mehmood of JUI-F rejected the government’s move of regulating the seminaries. He said the government had not taken Parliament into confidence on its economic and foreign policies. “We are unaware of the foreign policy,” he said.
Maulana Asad said when he raised this issue, then the foreign minister asked him to submit a motion so that a discussion could be made in the National Assembly and after a few days he came to him proposing an in-camera briefing.
He said all the members wanted to know the government’s foreign policy especially with regard to the Kartarpur issue. He said during the prime minister’s visit to Peshawar, the KP governor wrongly translated the views of a man as he was talking about his suffering but the governor told the PM that he was praising the governance of KP government.
Responding to a calling attention notice, Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari called for strict regulations for government and private hospitals to regulate the hiring of staff in order to put a full stop to deaths at the hands of unqualified paramedics.
The notice was moved by Muhammad Alamgir Khan and others on the death of an innocent child, Nishwa, due to doctors’ negligence in a private Karachi hospital. The minister said since health was a devolved subject under the 18th Amendment, the provincial governments should formulate their own rules and regulations to stop such incidents from happening.
Responding to another calling attention notice moved by Shazia Marri and others, Parliamentary Secretary for Commerce Shandana Gulzar Khan said the government had no intention to remove any employee of State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC).
She said the corporation was facing an estimated loss of Rs6 billion this year that will increase to Rs8 billion next year, Rs9.5 billion in 2021, and Rs11.5 billion in 2022. She said the government was compelled to abolish the cadre of sales officers in compliance with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan’s requirements and to check growing losses of the corporation.
“We are offering sales officers to become sales representatives and enjoy 40 percent commission instead of 20 percent they are drawing at present,” said the minister. She said the second option the government was giving to the SLIC sales officers was to accept the post of sales manager with job security, medical coverage and additional bonuses.
She said about 8,000 out of 21,000 sales officers had already opted for sales manager and the government offer was still intact for the rest. The House also passed “The Heavy Industries Taxila Board (Amendment) Bill, 2019” moved by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan.
On a point of order, PTM’s Moshin Dawar said, “We are ready to face accountability. We were not allowed to hold a press conference at the National Press Club,” he said. He also denied that the PTM was getting foreign funding. He said the PTM had condemned killings, as many of their relatives had also sacrificed their lives.
Both Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir form North Waziristan gathered round the speaker’s podium when the chair switched off mic of Mohsin Dawar. “You have spoken on your turn now. I will now give the floor to other lawmakers,” said the chair, but they were insisting on getting more time. Meanwhile, lawmakers from the opposition pointed out lack of quorum after which the chair abruptly adjourned the proceedings.