May 01, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 24, 1429

ISLAMABAD, April 30: Senate Chairman Muhammedmian Soomro on Wednesday faced an embarrassing situation when he was criticised for allowing lawmakers to deliver lengthy speeches on points of order.

He was reminded that it was neither permissible under the rules of business of 1988 nor in conformity with the past practice to allow so many lawmakers to speak on points of order.

Against the House Advisory Committee’s decision and the amended rules of business allocating only half an hour at the end of every proceeding to allow senators to speak on points of order, the house ran its business for around two hours.

The house decided to put off a debate on price hike but continued its proceedings on points of order and about a dozen lawmakers spoke on various issues without caring for the five-minute limit fixed by chair on Tuesday.

Leader of the House Mian Raza Rabbani reminded the chairman that he had not allowed so much time for points of order during the past five years and said that lawmakers had been given more than one chance to speak.

“Mr Chairman we have no problem if the house is run for long hours, but it has never happened before that one lawmaker is being allowed to speak for 8 to 10 minutes on a point of order.”

Anwar Bhinder, a PML-Q old guard, also protested against what he called a violation of the rules of business by allowing members to deliver lengthy speeches. He also complained that adjournment and privilege motions, normally part of the house proceedings, were not being allowed.