The combined opposition on Thursday stormed out of the National Assembly twice over speaker's harsh attitude and not allowing a debate on surge in the petroleum prices.
The session that already started 20 minutes behind the schedule at the very outset faced lack of quorum problem, which was pointed out by the opposition.
As soon the Lower House met, Nawab Yousaf Talpur from Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) pointed out lack of quorum. Speaker Amir Hussain had no other option but to suspend the proceedings that resumed after almost half an hour.
However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sher Afgan expressed anger over the opposition's attitude and said it was not serious itself to run the House according to the rules and regulations.
Afgan said that the question hour provides the best opportunity to the opposition to criticise and point out lacunas in the policies of the government. However, he said the opposition always prefers to political point scoring and does not take the House business seriously.
Speaker Amir Hussain also endorsed Sher Afgan's views and asked the opposition to cooperate with the government in running the House smoothly. He expressed his displeasure over Yousaf Talpur's act of pointing out lack of quorum.
On the other hand, the opposition lawmakers argued that maintaining the quorum was the sole responsibility of the government, adding that pointing lack of quorum was the right of every parliamentarian.
Taking the floor, Nawab Yousaf Talpur said only a few ministers from Shaukat Aziz's extra large size cabinet were present in the House.
However, the speaker did not like his arguments and switched off Talpur's mike who after exchanging some harsh words with the chair staged walkout from the House.
"The way you are speaking and humiliating us I walk out of this House," he said following a walkout that was joined by all the opposition parties. When the opposition lawmakers came back in the Lower House, it was Tehmina Daultana who led another walkout after a few moments.
Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) wanted an explanation on contradictory statements made by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Petroleum Minister Amanullah Khan Jadoon regarding hike in petroleum prices.
The speaker did not allow them to speak on the issue and said the matter had already been discussed on a calling attention notice.
Tehmina Daultana warned the speaker to stage another walkout if they were not allowed to speak on the issue, which she said concerns every segment of the society.
But Amir Hussain did not allow them to speak further on the issue, leading to another walkout by the combined opposition.
Degrees to OPF Girls College: Federal Labour and Manpower Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, while replying to a calling attention notice, said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has started investigation against the Principal of OPF Girls College, Islamabad.
Sarwar informed the National Assembly that the government was making arrangements for awarding degrees to the students of OPF College.
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