Price hike, travels abroad criticized: Poor attendance mars NA session
By Ahmed Hassan
ISLAMABAD, April 17: The government came under severe criticism from one of its own lawmakers in the National Assembly on Monday for extravagant expenses on foreign tours made by the prime minister, the National Assembly speaker and parliamentarians.
The debate on increase in prices of essential commodities entered second day when the house resumed proceedings after a two-day recess. After four-hour speeches made by both opposition and treasury members, the speaker said the debate would continue on Tuesday to allow others to speak on the issue and a winding up speech from the government side.
The question hour and a 25-item order of the day, including some legislative business, were set aside to accommodate maximum speakers and for lack of quorum, particularly poor attendance on the treasury benches.
Taking floor on a point of order, minority MNA M. P. Bhandara questioned the rationale of the prime minister’s recent visit to the United States with a 42-member entourage.
He also put to question ‘excessive’ tours made by the NA speaker and parliamentarians and sought chair’s response to his letters in this regard.
Mr Bhandara created a scene when the speaker asked another member to speak without giving a reply to the minority MNA’s queries.
The MNA also raised the question of violation of rules in running the house committee on finance without elections.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan Niazi deplored the criticism made by a treasury member against the prime minister and the speaker.
Instead of taking up such ‘minor’ issues on the floor of the house, Mr Bhandara should have addressed a press conference, the minister said.
Finally, the speaker, who had reserved his ruling, came out with a clarification for the foreign tours. He said parliamentarians’ foreign visits helped enhance interaction with world parliamentary bodies.
The lawmakers asked the government to revive district price control committees, set up a house committee on prices and reduce taxes on petroleum products.
Chaudhry Manzoor of the PPP said the government had abandoned controlling economy without realising its negative repercussions on common man.
He criticized the government for opening up economy without taking measures to ensure that poor man’s rights were not affected.
Mehnaz Rafi of the PML admitted that government’s role in controlling prices had vanished but also blamed industrialists and traders for price hike.
Afsar Begum of the MQM proposed opening of utility stores on Mohalla basis.
Others who spoke included Maulana Nur Mohammad, Sardar Yaqub Nasir, Naheed Khan, Syed Qurban Ali Shah, Fauzia Habib, Ejaz Jakhrani, Dr Sahibzada Abul Khair Mohammad Zubair, Abdus Sattar Afghani and Abdul Qadir Khanzada.
