January 26, 2006	Thursday	Zilhaj 25, 1426

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 25: Senators belonging to both the treasury as well as the opposition benches, including a federal minister, on Wednesday took serious notice of the absence of ministers from the Senate session during the question hour and asked the chair to take up the matter with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

The issue came to light when the members found that Minister for Water and Power Liaqat Ali Jatoi, Minister for Industries Jahangir Tareen and Minister for Food and Agriculture Sikandar Bosan were not present in the house.

Minister of State for Railways Ishaq Khakwani gave replies to various supplementary questions on behalf of the agriculture minister. When some members criticized the government for charging high electricity rates from farmers, Mr Khakwani said the question related to the water and power ministry.

Pari Gul Agha of the PML said she had never seen Mr Jatoi in the house. She asked the chairman to give a ruling and summon the minister.

Interestingly, when presiding officer Khalid Ranjha gave the floor to Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan Niazi to respond to the point raised by Ms Agha, he himself started criticizing his own cabinet colleague. “Why don’t you write to the prime minister that ministers do not come to the session,” Dr Niazi said angrily.

When Mr Ranjha himself tried to defend Mr Jatoi and said perhaps the minister was not here because there was no question related to his ministry in the agenda, Dr Niazi said the agenda included a debate on the issue of construction of large dams. “This is a very important issue and the minister should be present in the house,” he said, adding “Why Wapda minister does not come (to the house)?”

Dr Abdullah Riar of the PPP said all the members of the standing committee on water and power had unanimously moved a privilege motion against Mr Jatoi, but it was not being taken up.

PPP’s Dr Safdar Abbasi said Dr Niazi had given a very serious statement against his own cabinet colleague and he had threatened him directly. “I will like to know whether the prime minister will like to further keep Mr Jatoi in his cabinet after these observations?” he asked.

Responding to another supplementary question, Minister of State for Railways Ishaq Khakwani admitted that prices of fertilizers were 70 per cent higher in Pakistan as compared to India. He also admitted that the manufacturers of tractors were receiving Rs40,000 extra. He said the government had tried to convince the manufacturers to bring down the prices, but to no avail.

Mr Khakwani said it was a period of deregulation and the government had no control over the manufacturers. He, however, requested the chair to defer the question till the minister for industries came to give a detailed reply.

When Mr Ranjha announced deferment of the question, Anwar Bhinder of the PML asked him to fix a day for the purpose and direct all the ministers concerned to be present in the house on that day.

Agreeing to the proposal, Mr Ranjha said these questions would again be taken up on Wednesday.