Islamabad, (Parliament Times) : The fourth sitting of the 305th Session of the 18th Parliamentary Year 2020-2021 commenced at 10:30 am on Friday 08th January, 2021 Chairman Senate, Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani presided for a while after which Senator Muhammad Ali Saif took over.
Senators Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, Leader of the Opposition; Sherry Rehman; Rana Maqbool Ahmed; Imamuddin Shouqeen; Syed Muhammad Ali Shah Jamot; Kesho Bai; Sassui Palijo; Gianchand; Mian Raza Rabbani; Musadik Masood Malik ; Najma Hameed; Ayesha Raza Farooq; Mir Muhammad Yousuf Badini; Pervaiz Rasheed; Mushahid Hussain Sayed; Lt. Gen Abdul Qayyum HI(M) Retd; Nuzhat Sadiq; Ghous Muhammad Khan Niazi; Muhammad Asad Ali Khan Junejo; Sirajul Haq; Shaheen Khalid Butt; Engr Rukhsana Zuberi; Dr. Asad Ashraf; Mushahidullah Khan; Abdul Rehman Malik; Hafiz Abdul Karim; Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar; Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen; Abida Muhammad Azeem; Gulbashra; Mir Kabeer Ahmed Muhammad Shahi; Dr. Ashok Kumar; Muhammad Akram and Muhammad Tahir Bizenjo moved the following motions under Rule218of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate 2012.
1. The House may discuss the egregious human rights violations and media trials by National Accountability Bureau in its victimization of targeted opposition workers
2. This House may discuss the Government unprecedented crackdown on opposition workers
3. This House may discuss the alarming propensity of the Federal Government to usurp and subvert Parliamentary and provisional rights granted in the Constitution by attempting to rule the country by ordinances; especially the current case of attempted illegal land grab of Sindh and Balochistan islands as well as resources
4. This House may discuss the unprecedented gas and energy crisis in the entire country; unabated price increases; crippling inflation and the rising graph of food insecurity which are all becoming unsustainable for common Pakistanis
5. This House may discuss the pre-poll rigging and election tampering at all stages by government in the recent Gilgit Baltistan Elections
6. This House may discuss the overall precipitous economic situation and growing volume of loans taken by the PTI Government.
The Session commenced with the oath taking of Senator Nusrat Shaheen, who had been elected unopposed from Balochistan vice Senator Kalsoom Parveen, who recently passed away. Members of the House further debated on order no. 1; which was talked out.
Members of the opposition benches severely condemned the Mach incident and the delay of the PM going to Quetta. The Treasury Benches assured the House that the perpetrators of the crime will be taken to task and that the Prime Minister will visit Quetta soon. Both the Opposition and the Treasury benches appealed to the Hazara Community in Quetta to bury the victims.
Leader of the House Senator Shehzad Waseem Government’s said that it is disconcerting to see acts of terrorism rise again and the government is aware of regrouping of non-state elements. Speaking about the Mach incident, he assured the House that the issues of the protestors of the Mach incident will be addressed.
Leader of the Opposition Raja Zafarul Haq condemned the Government’s continuous reversal of policy. He stressed the need for taking criticism positively and said that for the sake of the country it is imperative that the Government refrain from one-sided accountability.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs was of the views that there has been a crackdown; but that has been on corrupt elements. He questioned that the perpetrator of the Mach incident was a foreign hand; but what about those that ordered the killing of innocents in Model Town. He asserted that the Parliament is best forum to address issues and must be used to resolve differences. It is the right of the opposition to protest and point out the shortcomings of the Government.
Senator Sassui Palijo, Senator Nusrat Shaheen, Senator Usman Khan Kakar, Senator Manzoor Khan Kakar, Senator Molana Ata Ur Rehman, Senator Tahir Bizenjo, Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, weer amongst others who shared their views.