ISLAMABAD: Newly-appoi­nted Finance Minister Miftah Ismail remained unable to wind up the budget debate in the National Assembly on Friday after a member of the opposition pointed out the quorum just as he began his speech.

Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi then had to adjourn the proceedings of the lower house till Monday.

At the start of the session, the deputy speaker had informed the house that the finance minister would conclude the budget debate.

Interestingly, the finance minister appeared fully prepared for his last speech in the current session as a mini rostrum was placed on his desk with a written speech on it. Earlier in the session, several legislators got their chance to deliver speeches regarding the budget, but when Mr Ismail took the rostrum, he had 30 minutes left before Friday prayers.

Yet he appeared so eager to speak on the floor of the house that while the other MNAs were making their speeches, he approached the speaker’s dais several times to talk to officials of the National Assembly sitting in front of the speaker.

Earlier, former law minister Zahid Hamid and Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Riaz Pirzada delivered emotional speeches, and Mr Hamid said that he would not contest the election for an NA seat in future because he would be replaced by his son.

Talking about the allegation that he had been involved in amending a section of the blasphemy law, Mr Hamid said a report by Senator Raja Zafarul Haq on the issue had been presented before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and the court had expressed satisfaction over it.

The ex-minister said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had also clarified that he (Zahid Hamid) had no part to play in making the amendment which had been reversed the very next day.

Mr Pirzada said the next government would be confronted with two major issues — a water crisis and disposal of waste — for which no significant efforts had been made by the present government or in the past.

He said many countries were using treated ocean water for human and agricultural consumption. “Why can’t we do the same to meet the challenges of growing water scarcity,” he added.

The IPC minister acknowledged the efforts made by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in overcoming the menace of terrorism, and added that terrorism was brought into the country by former dictator Gen Ziaul Haq and his close aide retired Maj Gen Hamid Gul.

PTI’s MNA Dr Shireen Mazari, who would later point out the lack of quorum, condemned America’s move to restrict the movement of Pakistani diplomats in the US, and asked the Foreign Office to take action on it.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2018