August 27, 2008	Wednesday	Sha'aban 24, 1429

MUZAFFARABAD, Aug 26: The Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly was prorogued sine die here on Tuesday due to lack of quorum as the treasury members avoided to attend the session summoned by the combined opposition on requisition to discuss the situation across the Line of Control.

Interestingly, four of the 14 opposition lawmakers were themselves absent on Tuesday which was pointed out by Raja Naseer Khan, minister for local government and rural development, as he drew the attention of the chair towards the incomplete quorum. Apart from Mr Khan, only two other treasury members were present in the house.

Opposition's member Tahir Khokhar maintained that the absentees from his side could not show up for genuine reasons and asked the government to help continue the proceedings in view of the important issues under discussion.

The session, it may be recalled, was requisitioned by the combined opposition to discuss the situation obtaining in the wake of economic blockade of the Kashmir Valley by the Hindu fanatics and the stepped up atrocities by the Indian military and paramilitary forces to suppress the freedom-seeking Kashmiris.

Three resolutions introduced from both sides in this regard were debated by the house on Wednesday following which acting speaker Sardar Farooq Ahmed Tahir had formed a committee to redraft a single resolution “deemed to have been unanimously passed by the house.”

However, the opposition lawmakers differed with the chair's decision, saying how the house could approve something which was yet to be drafted. Instead, they suggested, the draft of the resolution should be introduced in the house for unanimous approval.

The opposition lawmakers stressed upon the chair not to prorogue the important session on the “pretext” of incomplete quorum and if the government was committed to something or somewhere else, the session should be adjourned to meet again after two days.

Later speaking at a press conference, leader of the opposition Sardar Qamaruz Zaman and his colleagues blasted the government for the prorogation and announced that the opposition would again requisition the session.