Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: In a move that will strengthen parliament, the federal government on Friday agreed to hold a debate on the hurriedly passed ordinances, whereas the opposition in return reciprocated the offer by taking back the no-confidence motion against National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri.
The lower house of parliament which has not seen much legislation over the past year witnessed another round of pandemonium at the start of this month when the government bulldozed 11 bills through the House without putting them up for debate. Subsequently, the opposition moved the Islamabad High Court against the ordinances and also filed a no-trust move against Suri, who presided over the proceedings, for failing to uphold the parliamentary code of procedures.
But dust between the government and opposition has apparently settled down for good.
As the House resumed proceedings earlier in the day, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak said the government had “decided to improve the assembly’s atmosphere”, therefore agreeing to withdraw the controversial bills.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Swati said that the bills that were passed and ordinances tabled in the assembly on November 7 will be presented in the parliament again for debate and a consensus will be developed.
