ISLAMABAD: The government was put on the back foot yet again in the National Assembly over the proposed restructuring of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

Supported by a government ally, the opposition benches accused the government of weakening the federation by trying to bulldoze through parliament a bill, aiming to offload 26pc shares of the national flag carrier, which the Senate has rejected twice.

As a result of the criticism of the motion the government intended to pass on Monday for tabling the PIA bill before a joint sitting of parliament, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq suggested the treasury benches take the opposition on board before putting the motion up for a vote.

“Under the rules, I can defer this motion for a couple of days. Meanwhile, I suggest the government reach out to the opposition for a consensus on the PIA bill,” the speaker suggested. This offer was accepted by Federal Minister Zahid Hamid, who was to present the motion.

Earlier, PPP’s Syed Naveed Qamar opened debate on the motion, terming the move a serious threat to the federation. “Twice, the Senate has rejected the government’s decision to bring unclear administrative changes in the working of PIA. Now, by taking the bill to a joint sitting of the house, the government will certainly get it passed through its sheer majority. But has somebody thought of its long-term repercussions,” Mr Qamar asked.

The Senate represents federation, hence, its judgment on an issue couldn’t be overruled on the basis of a majority in the lower house of the parliament, Mr Qamar said.

He also pointed out that under the PPP regime, “We always not only reached out to the opposition for its input, but also accommodated them in legislation.”

Mr Qamar, who has thrice served as chairman of the Privatisation Commission, also argued that thus far the government had been unable to explain precisely what objectives it wanted to achieve through this bill. “If you just want to restructure [PIA’s] administration, you can as the government. Then why this legislation?”

According to PTI chief whip Dr Shireen Mazari, any attempt by the government to bulldoze the bill through parliament would set a bad precedent.

However, it looked from the press gallery as if veteran lawmaker Mehmood Khan Achakzai was the one whose argument finally won over the government. In a brief speech, Mr Achakzai, whose PkMAP party is an ally of the PML-N – both in the centre and Balochistan – said, “I demand and request that the government sit with the opposition and give serious consideration to its reservations over the PIA bill.”

If the government decided unilaterally to use its option of calling a joint sitting of parliament, Mr Achakzai argued this would send the wrong signal, “which we must avoid at every cost”.

Sahibzada Tariqullah of the Jamaat-i-Islami also warned the government against invoking a joint sitting for such trivial issues.

“Joint sittings are meant to discuss serious security issues, not the privatisation of PIA,” he said, adding, “I will suggest the PIA issue should be taken to the Council of Common Interests, where all provincial governments are also represented.”

In response, Zahid Hamid told the house that after its rejection by the Senate, the only option available to the government was to call a joint sitting to get the bill passed. However, he said, the government was still open to whatever positive amendments the opposition wished to make.

He also said that so far, the opposition had only criticised the PIA bill, and not submitted a single written proposal for changes in the law.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2016