Govt plans to adjourn ongoing joint sittings of Senate, NA

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to prorogue the ongoing sessions of joint sitting of Senate and National Assembly (NA) next month in view of eroded potential of the PTI to become problematic for the administration.

The two houses were in session to deal with any eventuality likely to emerge out of the recent agitation of PTI and fulfil any emergency action needed since the president was viewed as a hindrance in convening the session of any of the two houses on urgent basis, if required.

The joint sitting of the two houses of parliament has been in session since May 26 while the National Assembly started its sitting on November 3. Highly-placed parliamentary sources told The News here Sunday that the decision of adjourning both houses sine die was a proclamation of elimination of PTI and Imran Khan as potent trouble for the government on any count.

The sources pointed out that it has been officially stated by the Parliament Secretariat that “in pursuance of the powers conferred by proviso to rule 4 of the Parliament (Joint Sittings) Rules, 1973, the Honourable Speaker (Raja Pervez Ashraf) has been pleased to call a joint sitting on Tuesday, the 20th December,2022 at 4.00 pm instead of Friday, the 18th November, 2022 at 4.00 pm.”

The session had been adjourned for about a month more than four times without a sitting and without prorogation.

Now it considered findings of the officials concerned that this session will be prorogued next month since it wouldn’t be required any more for any emergency needs. Likewise, the session of the National Assembly that was adjourned Friday last for December 1, Thursday would be prorogued after a day.

The recent sessions in the Parliament House witnessed thin attendance by the members and especially the federal ministers but Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, who is also the Parliamentary Leader of the PMLN, availed the sittings of the houses to take on PTI before the appointment of the COAS and CJCSC to explain the standpoint of the government on the sensitive subject effectively.

Interestingly, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is also the leader of House in both the houses, is yet to appear for one single day in any of the houses. He has been absent throughout from the upper house of Parliament including Senate which is likely to be in session next week for stormy sittings. He is the leader of House in Senate too.

A no trust move is looming over the head of Chairman Senate Sanjrani. He is under serious threat on account of planned vote of no confidence, which is waiting in the wings of the majority party.

The issue of arrest of PTI Senator Azam Swati will also come up in the upcoming session and it is bound to create a rumpus in the House. He was arrested on Sunday second time in less than a month for foul mouthing officials of sensitive organisations.