PM takes notice of lawmakers’ absenteeism
ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of the low attendance of lawmakers during parliamentary sessions.
Speaking to the media outside the National Assembly on Tuesday, Sadiq said some federal ministers had raised the issue of members’ absence with the prime minister. He said the government and lawmakers were now paying attention to improving attendance.
The speaker’s comments came after a session of the National Assembly witnessed a low presence of members, with a large number of seats remaining vacant during proceedings.
Sadiq said maintaining the required quorum was not solely the responsibility of the speaker. He said both the government and opposition benches had a duty to ensure that their members attended parliamentary proceedings.
He expressed hope that attendance would improve when the next session is held, which is expected to take place later this week.
According to the speaker, the government had conveyed that it recognised the seriousness of the issue and intended to improve lawmakers’ presence in future sessions.
Sadiq urged members from both sides of the House to remain present during proceedings. He said parliamentary sessions provided limited time for debate, questions, discussions and legislation, and lawmakers should make full use of the opportunity.
He noted that poor attendance affected both sides of the House. The government could not properly complete its legislative agenda, while opposition members also lost the opportunity to raise issues and scrutinise government policies.
The speaker also commented on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s intention to adopt a more active approach towards legislation.
Sadiq welcomed the move, saying stronger opposition participation could improve parliamentary accountability. He said constructive pressure from opposition parties could also encourage the government to introduce reforms.
Regarding resignations submitted by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members from standing committees, the speaker said he had not accepted any of the resignations.
He said parliamentary committees were continuing to function and could perform more effectively if opposition members regularly participated in their meetings.
Asked about the possibility of the united opposition moving a no-confidence motion against him or Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Sadiq said it was a constitutional and democratic right of the opposition.
He said the National Assembly would facilitate the opposition if it decided to exercise that right.
Sadiq also spoke about efforts to reduce political tensions between the government and opposition. He said several attempts had been made to bring the two sides to the negotiating table.
He said he, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the law minister and Rana Sanaullah had repeatedly offered dialogue.
