ISLAMABAD: The ongoing issue of insufficient quorum compelled Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah to suspend the National Assembly session until Wednesday.
The proceedings started on Tuesday with Syed Aminul Haque being called upon by the deputy speaker to address a calling attention notice concerning the delayed completion of the K-IV water project despite significant financial investment.
However, Member of National Assembly Iqbal Afridi highlighted the absence of quorum, leading the deputy speaker to call for a headcount. When it was confirmed that the quorum was not in order, the session was adjourned until the quorum could be established. After a short recess, a second headcount was conducted, but quorum was still not met, resulting in the session being postponed until 11:00 am on Wednesday.
Tuesday is designated as Private Members’ Day, during which lawmakers introduce and debate bills for approval. The agenda included around 23 private member bills along with proposed amendments to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007.
Legislative priorities included several proposed amendments related to state-owned enterprises, abandoned properties, factory regulations, anti-rape laws, Islamabad’s rent restrictions, wage payments, provincial motor vehicle laws, limited liability partnerships, criminal procedures, national security, environmental policies, and child rights.
Other items on the agenda involved bills to establish the Federal Institute of Management Sciences, the Pakistan Emergency Treatment Coverage Programme, and measures to protect breastfeeding and child nutrition in Islamabad.
Bills introduced by private members such as Shandana Gulzar Khan, Sharmila Faruqui, Shehla Raza, and Ali Muhammad Khan were also scheduled for discussion.
The session’s agenda further comprised resolutions on completing pending housing projects, merging ad hoc relief allowances into government employees’ basic pay, promoting renewable energy, reforming early childhood education standards, and developing a comprehensive framework for consumer protection in digital services and online lending.
Motions under Rule 259 addressed issues like delays in appointments at the Federal Directorate of Education and related institutions, the performance of Pakistan Railways, difficulties faced by the public due to rising fuel prices, preparedness for urban heatwaves, and disruptions in Sui gas supply nationwide.
Additionally, a calling attention notice requesting a response from the Energy Ministry about the absence of a transformer repair workshop in District Layyah, Punjab, was also part of the agenda.
