Govt saves face after ‘low-quorum start’ in National Assembly
• Manages to complete quorum; seven bills tabled, eight reports laid • Bilawal, Fazl, Hamza Shehbaz make brief appearances • Minister fears ransom payment to Somali pirates could encourage more abductions ISLAMABAD: After initially facing embarrassment due to the low attendance of treasury members in the National Assembly on Wednesday, the government eventually managed to complete quorum and take…
Islamabad saw a brief moment of government embarrassment when the National Assembly's attendance dwindled on Wednesday. The day began with a quorum crisis as treasury members failed to show up, prompting opposition members to criticise the government. Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah suspended proceedings out of concern over the low number of lawmakers present.
However, the situation was salvaged as PML-N members, including Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, returned to the house, allowing the day's agenda to proceed. Seven bills were tabled, and eight reports were laid, with discussions on two calling-attention notices. In one such notice, the government faced accusations of making false promises to Somali pirates holding 10 Pakistani sailors.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry defended the government's stance, stating that paying the ransom could set a dangerous precedent. Opposition leader Farooq Sattar offered to contribute funds towards their release, but the minister clarified that direct MNA development funds were not provided.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
