ISLAMABAD, June 16: The Senate was prorogued on Friday amid opposition’s scathing criticism about continued absence of ministers from the house, leaving no one to respond to adjournment motions. The upper house of parliament started its 29th session on June 2 during which budget proposals were laid and a four-day debate was held on it. The house committee on finance finalised and the house unanimously adopted 37 recommendations for submission to the National Assembly for incorporation in the budgetary documents.

The Acting Chairman, Jan Mohammad Jamali, shared the sentiments of the opposition on the continuous absence of the ministers and stressed the need for a change in their attitude to the house.

The treasury and opposition protested on several occasions during the current session but without any heed being paid by the ministers who continued to disappear after attend the proceedings for few moments.

Mr Jamali observed that there was some slackness in the affairs of Senate Secretariat, which required to be streamlined.

Earlier, the treasury and opposition legislators expressed resentment over inefficiency of the secretariat for failing to ensure presence of the ministers when the house took up adjournment motions.

The acting chairman observed, “I feel there is rustiness in the affairs of the Senate secretariat and to streamline it, a meeting is being convened next week in which the leader of the house, leader of opposition, state minister for parliamentary affairs and senior members of the senate will be invited.”

Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan wanted to move an adjournment motion on the ban on truck movement from Pakistan to Afghanistan under the Afghan Transit Trade scheme but he could not do so owing to absence of the minister concerned.

The Leader of Opposition, Mian Raza Rabbani, and other senators strongly criticized the minister’s absence, saying it had become routine.

Raza Rabbani said that the ministers gave scant importance to the proceedings of the Senate.