LAHORE, Dec 19: The quorum crisis seems to have become permanent affliction for the Punjab Assembly as it was pointed out twice on Monday, and the house once lost it, along with the session. Khadija Umar, of the PML-Q, was first to point out quorum when the house resumed sitting after 30-minute evening prayer break at 5.30pm. However, the treasury managed to get enough members herded into the house to achieve the number.

But, the quorate house survived only for next 30 minutes. At around 6pm, Athar Hassan Gorchani, of the PPP, again pointed out that it had become inquorate. The chair ordered ringing of bells for five minutes, but in vain. The house lost the number and the speaker had to adjourn the house till 10am on Tuesday (today).

The second quorum call came despite requests made by law minister Rana Sanaullah Khan to “stop pointing out quorum frequently, as the agenda for the day was very important.”

“If the government was so concerned about the agenda, it must ensure presence of its members in the house,” Ehsan-ul-Haq Nolatiya, of the PPP, hurriedly reminded the minister.

Earlier, as the house started its proceedings, the homecoming of President Asif Ali Zardari reverberated around the house with opposition leader Raja Riaz, of the PPP, telling his colleagues: “The president was a courageous, bold and patriot Pakistani and will never flee the country by deceiving his countrymen.”

Speaking on a point of order to open Monday afternoon proceedings, he said: “The president had gone to Dubai for his treatment on Dec 6. The opposition, however, capitalised on the opportunity to get political mileage; sending its rumor mills in overtime working. With his coming back, what would the Opposition do now? The president has belied all rumors and conspiracies. He will never desert the people of Pakistan by fleeing with 40 cooks”.

Raja also provoked Rana into telling the house: “It was the PPP and the Presidency that provided grist to the mills of rumour-mongers by issuing conflicting reports on the president’s illness, departure and sojourn. The way illness of the president was turned into a mystery was bound to create confusion among everyone and the PPP should not blame others for its own doing.”