ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: The National Assembly and Senate, starting their sessions simultaneously on Friday, are likely to witness stormy proceedings, with a more determined and combined opposition already announcing its protest plan.
The Senate, due to start its proceedings at 3pm, has been summoned by its chairman on opposition’s requisition and is likely to last three days, including Sunday. The National Assembly will meet at 10am.
The lower house of parliament was prorogued on July 22 without disposing of its legislative business apparently to give lawmakers maximum time to play their part in the third round of local body elections.
The upper house business was abruptly disrupted under the same impression on July 23 as a result of which an angry opposition filed requisition the very next day to force another session within two weeks.
Another regular session to be convened by the government is expected to start in November, sources told Dawn.
The National Assembly session is likely to last three weeks during which the government will dispose of its delayed legislative business and get approved some pending ordinances.
The Registration of Societies Act 1860 (amendment ordinance) 2005 will also be tabled in the house after getting it further amended as agreed by the government with the Ittehad Tanzeemat Madaris Deenia (ITMD) to pave way for registration of the remaining 9000 plus seminaries in the country.
The National Assembly will also debate an adjournment motion moved by treasury member M.P. Bhindara against barring of women from casting votes in some constituencies, particularly in certain areas of the NWFP in the first round of local body elections.
According to sources, the opposition lawmakers would enter the two houses of parliament with black bands pinned to their shoulders to protest what is being termed “unprecedented” oil price hike and rigging in the three phases of LB polls.
The opposition, which had not been allowed to hold full-length debate about allegations of use of state machinery in the LB polls in previous sessions, is expected to give the government a tough time by staging protest inside as well as outside parliament.
Leader of opposition in the Senate, Mian Raza Rabbani, told Dawn that the government was not ready to run the upper house for over two days as two Senate delegations would be going on tours abroad by Oct 9.
