Opposition parties in the National Assembly on Friday announced to withdraw a no-confidence motion against National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri as government announced to withdraw all 11 ordinances passed by the Lower House on November 7.
“The consensus has been reached between opposition parties and the government that ordinances passed in the assembly the other day will be withdrawn and later will be passed with consensus, so we also withdraw our motion against the deputy speaker,” Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif said on a point of order. He said the opposition parties had moved the no-confidence motion against the deputy speaker to protest against the passage of the ordinances. “Now the issue is resolved amicably, so there is no reason to move the no-confidence motion,” he said, adding that it would have been much better if the deputy speaker had allowed the opposition to speak on the ordinances earlier.
The bills passed in the whirlwind November 7 session of the National Assembly will now be forwarded for debate in the relevant standing committees.
Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak said meetings between the government and the opposition over the past few days proved to be very effective and both sides agreed to move forward together to ensure smooth functioning of the parliament. He affirmed that both sides will respect the sanctity of the country’s most important institution.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Swati said more discussions will be held on the Medical Tribunal Ordinance, Pakistan Medical Commission Ordinance and the Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission Ordinance, 2019. Bills on these three ordinances, he said, will be brought with consensus.
Swati said both the government and opposition have agreed to withdraw the Letters of Administration and Succession Certificates Ordinance, 2019; the Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Ordinance, 2019; the Legal Aid and Justice Authority Ordinance, 2019; and the Superior Courts (Court Dress and Mode of Address) Ordinance, 2019. He said the Benami Transaction (Prohibition) (Amendment) Bill, 2019; and the National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2019, will be referred to the relevant standing committees.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Asad Umer, while speaking on the assembly floor, said the government does not wish to make the speaker and deputy speaker’s roles controversial.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Amin-ul-Haq said his party MNAs were not taken into confidence over whatever has been decided between the government and the opposition. “We honor this House because we are supporters of democratic practices,” he added.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan told the Lower House during question hour that a nationwide poverty survey is underway to update the data of Benazir Income Support Program. He said the survey is expected to be completed by mid of next year. He said the BISP currently reaches out to 5.02 million vulnerable and destitute houses across country to cushion them against income shocks triggered by growing inflation. He said an amount of Rs 104.6 billion was disbursed among the poor families during the last financial year.
Responding to a calling attention notice, Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari said the present government has started the process to ensure implementation of legislation aimed at protecting the rights of the children. Expressing concerns over the incidents of child abuse, she said the government has decided to develop a sex offenders registry. She said an awareness campaign has also been started against child abuse in all the schools of the federal capital. She said it is the first time that a government has started the child labour survey which will be completed by June next year.
The House has now been prorogued.
