ISLAMABAD, Feb 14: The opposition took advantage of absence of a large number of members of the ruling coalition in the National Assembly on Thursday and introduced a number of draft bills and twice defeated the government on vote counts.
The government informed the house that the Hangu incident, which left 27 people dead and 40 others injured, was an act of terrorism and the inquiry report would be presented in the house soon.
The issue of 43 costly vehicles given to PTCL officials at nominal prices was again agitated by lawmakers through an adjournment motion sought to be moved by Bilquis Saif, Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali and others.
The government said the step was in accordance with a decision of the board of directors of the Pakistan Telecommunication Company.
The Minister of State for Information Technology said the PTCL, which was in the process of privatisation, had an independent board of directors which decided to give the vehicles to its retiring officials of grade 20 and above.
He said that the 20 per cent flat rate of depreciation on the vehicles was a universally accepted norm which had been applied in the PTCL case.
SUGAR CRISIS: During a debate on the sugar crisis, legislators attributed the shortage of the commodity to incompetence of the government. They said the government had failed to ensure a suitable price of sugarcane and its timely payment to growers and to curb hoarding.
Raja Pervez Ashraf of the People’s Party Parliamentarians said that the government had allowed sugar prices to go up by Rs14 per kg because it failed to take corrective steps and to ensure its availability in the market.
Fauzia Wahab of the PPP said the shortage of sugar was artificial as sufficient stocks were there.
Dr Rozina criticised opposition to the construction of big dams in the country and said that reservoirs could ensure timely and adequate supply of irrigation water which would improve production of crops, including sugarcane.
Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s Abdus Sattar Afghani said that rising prices of fertilisers had forced many farmers out of the profession.
Speaking on a point of order, a member of the so-called forward bloc of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, expressed lack of confidence in the steps suggested by the Punjab chief minister to end sugar hoarding.
He warned the government against protecting a few businessmen at the cost of millions of citizens.
BLASPHEMOUS CARTOONS: Sabir Hussain Awan (MMA) criticised the government for breaking up a student protest in Peshawar against blasphemous cartoons.
Sahibzada Abdul Khair Muhammad Zubair (MMA) welcomed what he termed an unprecedented unity among Muslim against blasphemous materials being published by media in western countries and described it as a unique example of their love for the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Qari Gul Rahman of the MMA expressed scepticism about the government’s reaction to blasphemous cartoons. He said media should project Islam as a religion of peace and love and also impress upon the opponents of Islam the depth of love that the faithful had for the Holy Prophet (pbuh).
The ruling coalition looked in disarray with only one minister defending the government. However, a couple of ministers arrived later.
The head of the PML’s ‘forward bloc’, Riaz Pirzada, failed to move a piece of legislation to curb the entry of foreign troops unless ratified by parliament. Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain deferred the bill till a consensus among both sides of house for the proposed amendment to the constitution.
Yet another member of the forward bloc, Malik Farooq Azam, suggested that the government should take a firm step towards making one regional language side by side Urdu as the national language. He pointed out that there were 18 national languages in India apart from Hindi which had not endangered the integrity of that country. He said Seraiki, Balochi, Pushto, Sindhi as well as Punjabi might be declared as national languages.
Opposition members from the Seraiki belt and Sindh endorsed the suggestion.
The opposition alongwith ruling coalition, failed a useful legislation which proposed cutting down 130 working days for National Assembly to 90 days but excluding non working days from the payment of allowances to the members.
Earlier, another legislation proposed by the same minority MP suggesting drastic cut down in the required number of legislators for completion of quorum was also deferred by the speaker.
A draft bill sought to be introduced by MMA’s Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Aisha Munawar, Liaquat Baloch, Hanif Abbasi and others seeking welfare of women in accordance with the constitution was sent to the house committee with the government’s support.
Another draft bill of the MMA seeking amendment to the Pakistan Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, was introduced after the government refrained from opposing it.
A draft bill moved by Fazle Subhan, Muhammad Hussain Mehnati and others seeking comfort and security of senior citizens was also introduced.
