Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on Friday sought an explanation from Prime Minister Imran Khan over incessant absence of ministers from sessions, media reports said. At the start of the session, ministers from the opposition ministers protested against the continuous absence of ministers. The chairman asked Leader of the House Shibli Faraz to shed light on the matter.
“Not showing up in the Senate has become a norm,” Sanjrani maintained, adding that the ministers should be held accountable by the prime minister. Sanjrani also suggested that a letter be written to the prime minister informing him that ministers do not show up for Senate sessions.
Minister of State for Finance Hammad Azhar maintained that a calling attention notice had been added to the meeting’s agenda. He further said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Sherry Rehman had also not been showing up at parliament. “There shall be protests if ministers don’t show up,” Azhar said, while also pointing out that billions of rupees were being spent on a single Senate meeting.
Published in Daily Times, January 26th 2019.
