Speaker summons NA to meet on Friday

ISLAMABAD: The Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has summoned the National Assembly (NA) session requisitioned jointly by the opposition parties on Friday morning (tomorrow).

The opposition parties have requisitioned the NA to discuss issues of PIA privatisation and insufficient reduction in prices of petroleum product despite downward trend in the international market.The Speaker has summoned the session using his powers which he can exercise under clause 3 of Article 54 of the Constitution.

The Constitution says that on a requisition signed by no less than one-fourth of the total members of the NA, the Speaker shall summon the National Assembly to meet, at such time and place as he thinks fit, within fourteen days of the receipt of the requisition; and when the Speaker has summoned the Assembly only he may prorogue it.

The Government cannot bring its agenda during the session which is requisitioned by the opposition members.Therefore, it is also likely that the Speaker prorogues Friday’s session same day and then the President of Pakistan again summons the scheduled session of the house from Monday afternoon (February 15).However, the Government and opposition parties can also reach an understanding to execute agenda sponsored by the two sides.