Quorum mars PA session

LAHORE

Non-serious attitude of the legislators once again made mockery of the legislation process as the Punjab Assembly session was adjourned only after 15 minutes of its commencement due to lack of quorum.

The Punjab government came under immense criticism in and outside the PA by the Opposition leader who demanded the chief minister to appoint a ‘quorum minister’ to ensure proper attendance of the ruling party MPAs in the House. The PA session, which already started with a delay of nearly one and a half hour on the Private Members Day on Tuesday with Speaker Rana Mohammad Iqbal Khan in chair witnessed a very thin attendance of the treasury members.

Only four cabinet members out of the total 32, including Jehangir Khanzada, Manshaullah Butt, Raja Ashfaq Sarwar and Sher Ali Khan, chief whip of PML-N in PA Rana Arshad and a few MPAs of treasury were present in the PA at the time the session started. After the session started, Opposition Leader Mian Mehmood-ul-Rasheed on a point of order said it was regretful that despite commitment, the ruling party MPAs had not turned up to the session. He suggested the government must invite all the treasury legislators on breakfast as in this way, quorum could be ensured.

The question hour session related to Public Prosecution and Women Welfare continued only for 15 minutes after which Ehsan Riaz Fatyana, an Opposition MPA pointed out quorum which was found incomplete. The PA was adjourned for 15 minutes and after its proceedings were resumed, counting was done but it failed to meet the quorum and was adjourned till Wednesday (today).

Later, talking to media, Rana Arshad, chief whip of PML-N criticised the Opposition for its ‘non-seriousness’ attitude towards legislation.

He said the ruling party MPAs had been directed to ensure proper participation during the legislation process, adding if any parliamentary secretary was found absent on three consecutive days, he would recommend his removal from this office.