ISLAMABAD: Senators of both treasury and opposition benches have
strongly protested over absence of ministers, declaring it as a strong
underestimation of esteem of House.
During the Senate session on
Wednesday, convened 35 minutes late as a tradition, by Jan Muhammad
Jamali, only eight official and ten opposition benchers were present
initially.
The leader of the House, Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari
was at a loss about deputy chairman’s concern, as to who would answer
the questions. However he did suggest a wait until Maghrib prayers, as
the cabinet was in session.
The deputy speaker wanted to adjourn
the session till tomorrow, over which MQM’s sordid and caustic Col
(Retd) Mashadhi remarked that cabinet had departed for Hajj’.
Zahid
Khan of ANP was chagrined over absence of ministers from their
understood presence in Senate session, the chagrined senators charged
that in such circumstances the senate should be already terminated
instead of wasting the money of masses, while other senators like JUI’s
Azam Swati, JI’s Professor Khursheed also expressed their displeasure.
Official
senator Haseeb Khan remarked that PM, Yousaf Raza Gilani knows… yet
despite committing equal time for Senate, he has failed to act
responsibly, making it an example for cabinet to follow.
During
all this commotion, federal Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim
arrived, after which the Deputy Speaker commenced the question hour.
Replying
to Col (Retd) Mashadhi’s answer, the trade minister declared that
efforts were underway to improve trade relations with China and others,
over which JUI’s Azam Swati stressed on active practical efforts,
instead of plain rhetoric. Amin Fahim responded with request for
proposals and recommendations from all.
Senator Ahmad Ali wanted
to know as to why were 35,949 dozen ready-made garments imported during
FY-2010-11, while only one factory was authorized. Answering to which,
the federal minister repeated his offer for proposals and
recommendations from all, as government was ‘embarking on streamlining
its path to perfection’.
The trade minister was also at a loss
over the query, regarding the value of imported garments, as questioned
by senator Ishaq Dar of PML-N, over which the senator scoffed at the
irresponsible attitude of minister, who had not even bothered to check
details of his own trade (ministry).
Deputy Chairman Jan Jamali
intervened, and interjecting Ishaq Dar’s reservations, said that since a
minister had bothered to attend the session, he might as well not be
offended.
When Azam Swati also expressed that the trade minister
should /would be spared any further tirade, due to his sole
participation, Amin Fahim retorted that he was not alone as all the
benches were also present. Online
