ISLAMABAD - The MQM and the JUI-F Wednesday moved two separate motions in the National Assembly for deseating 28 PTI MNAs due to their continuous absence from the house for over 40 working days without intimating the speaker.
Both the parties from treasury and opposition moved back-to-back motions under Article 64 of the constitution against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers, who remained absent from the house in protest against the government over alleged rigging in general elections and even submitted resignations to Speaker’s Chamber.
The chair ruled that consideration of the motions about de-seating opposition party lawmakers, including PTI chief Imran Khan, will be taken after expiry of seven days under the Rules and Procedures and Conduct of Business.
The first motion was moved by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmaker Salman Baloch, on behalf of 23 party MNAs. The second motion was moved from treasury benches by Naeema Kishwar of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), on behalf of seven party members.
The motions were moved against Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Dr Shireen Mazari, Imran Khattak, Sajid Nawaz, Arif Alvi, Murad Seed, Junaid Akbar, Qaiser Jamal Shehryar Afridi, Ghulam Sarwar, Hasan Nawaz, Sajida Begum, Lal Chand, Ayesha Gulalai and others. The motions, moved by both the parties, only mentioned the names of those PTI lawmakers who had submitted resignations while remaining six members of the party were not included in the list.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has already announced that it would not give vote for de-seating PTI MNAs if any motion is moved in the house. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq also issued ruling, in previous session, that PTI MNAs resignations were not accepted and they remain members of the assembly.
The house also witnessed heated discussion between opposition and government benches over the import of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), as government has not shared the price of the imported gas with the members. PPP’s Nafeesa Shah, on a call-attention notice, asked the government to give clear picture to the house regarding LNG import.
Despite clarification from government side by Parliamentary Secretary Shahzadi Umarzadi Tiwana, PPP lawmakers posed questions that why government was not sharing pricing agreement with the house. “Why government is shy to share things about LNG agreement,” said PPP’s Imran Zafar Leghari. But the Parliamentary Secretary said that the prices would be shared after signing the agreement with Qatar.
Shahzadi said that the agreement and price will be made public when the government enters into agreement for LNG import. She said the government has allowed private companies to import LNG and Pak-Arab Fertilizer, which is a private company, has started importing the commodity. PPP’s senior lawmaker Aijaz Hussain Jhakrani also floated the idea to debate this important matter in Council of Common Interest (CCI).
The government had been facing sharp criticism for not sharing details of LNG’s agreement. Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has failed to satisfy opposition lawmakers on questions about pricing mechanism agreed with the Qatar Gas.
Earlier, the house resumed debate on a resolution about the electricity pilferage in the country moved by Khalida Mansor. Taking part in debate, Naeema Kishwar from JUI-F said that there was a need to improve old system besides checking corruption by Wapda employees. Ayesha Syed also put weight behind the reservation of her colleague, saying that Wapda needs to be purged of corrupt elements. MNA Shehryar Khan said there was a need for proper action and discrimination should not be made with KP area.
Shahjhan from PML-N, at the fag-end of proceeding, strongly criticised the attitude of Railway Ministry for turning a deaf ear to her reservation. The opposition benches, after hearing criticism of treasury benches on minister, started desk-thumping to support her point. A bill, ‘Indus River System Authority (amendment) 2015’, was also introduced in the house, while three other bills were dropped. The house only disposed of 15 agenda items out of 45 on the order of the day.