Power breakdown in Karachi: abrupt National Assembly adjournment order foils MQM's walkout plan

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf on Friday tactfully foiled the walkout plan of its allay, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) from the National Assembly over the prolonged power breakdown in Karachi.
On a point of order, a number of MQM parliamentarians, including Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghauri, who is though not eligible to speak on a point of order being part of Cabinet, raised the issue of worst loadshedding in Karachi, and warned of walkout of the house if the Prime Minster did not take action against Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) by giving a policy statement on the floor.
The Prime Minister and Minister for Water and Power assured them to give a policy statement in the house, which was adjourned as presiding officer Abdul Qadir Patel abruptly read out adjournment order to meet on Monday amid hue and cry of the MQM members as they neither could walkout of the house nor got policy statement from any of the concerned authority. Earlier, the Prime Minister gave policy statement on a number issues, raised by the members on the point of orders, but he also sidelined the KESC issue, leaving it to the Minister for Water and Power to respond.
The minister remained present and looked busy in the house, apparently giving the impression that he is going to announce something important about the KESC, but the presiding officer rescued the minister from facing tough time at the hands of vocal MQM lawmakers and adjourned the proceedings without giving mike to the protesting members of the MQM.
Earlier, MQM lady MNA Khushbakhat Shujaat lambasted the KESC for unannounced loadshedding in the provincial metropolis and industrial hub of Pakistan. She sought serious policy statement from the Prime Minister on the failure of KESC for supplying electricity to the city. Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Babar Khan Ghauri said that Karachi had plunged into the worst darkness due to the negligence of the KESC management.
He said that due to the power breakdown, the mega city had been paralysed. He urged the Prime Minister and Minister for Water and Power to take immediate steps to end the unannounced loadshedding. Another Karachi-based PPP lawmaker Abdul Qadir Patel, who was chairing the house proceeding, said that FIRs be registered against the KESC officials for their negligence.
Moreover, on a point of order, parliamentary leader of Fata lawmakers Muneer Khan Orakzai demanded of the government to give representation to two lawmakers from Fata in the recently constituted Constitutional Reforms Committee. Amir Muqam of PML-Q asked the government to restart registration of the IDPs at camps, which was suspended on June 23.
Khwaja Mohammad Khan Hoti complained about the partial attitude of the chair for allowing certain lawmakers to speak ignoring others. Senior parliamentarian and PML-Q chief whip Riaz Hussain Pirzada pointed out that any member of ruling party or minister could not speak on a point of order, saying that the minister should resign from the Cabinet before speaking on point of order.
This parliament itself at least should not violate the rules and regulations, he remarked. Shiekh Waqas Akram of PML-Q raised the issue of resurfacing of defunct religious outfits in Punjab, particularly in his district Jhang. PML-N lawmaker Rohail Asghar Sheikh said that national hero Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan should be invited to the house and be asked how a dictator coerced him to give statement against the national interest in 2004.