ISLAMABAD: The Opposition in the National Assembly today [Dec 4] made a desperate bid to censure the Federal Government on its alleged failure to stop “the reign of terror” let loose by the Provincial Governments under DPR and menacing the peace, security and tranquillity of the citizens of Pakistan. The move made through an adjournment motion by the Jamate Islami’s Prof. Ghafoor Ahmad yesterday was, however, defeated by the Treasury Benches led by the Law Minister, Mr Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, mainly on the ground that a move to censure the Government could not be made the subject of an adjournment motion. … The Speaker ruled the motion out of order. …

Prof. Ghafoor Ahmad, however, did not agree with this explanation and insisted that his motion was not a censure motion. … It was intended to raise a discussion on the Govern­ment’s failure to meet its constitutional provisions in regard to the running of provincial administrations. ... [S]pecific incidents which he wished to discuss referred to the reported arrest of the Session Judge of Sanghar under the DPR and the arrest of four lawyers under the same law. The Speaker however did not accept his plea and ruled the motion out of order.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2023