The joint opposition finally returned to the upper house on Tuesday, silently ending it's over week-long boycott to proceedings of the house, after they realised that the prime minister is not going to pay any heed to their demand despite protests. The joint opposition had been boycotting the proceedings of Senate for the last one week with a demand that the premier should come to the house and answer the seven questions raised by the opposition pertaining to offshore companies owned by his children.
But, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did not move an inch despite their boycott and left after addressing National Assembly on Monday. It could be the reason, the joint opposition was left with no option that the premier is not going to grace the house no matter what, they quietly joined the house proceedings without uttering even a single word on the issue.
The opposition leader in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan who was leading from the front remained in the house for a brief period also remained mum. He had been saying that the opposition would not end the boycott unless the prime minister comes to Senate. Separately, the Chairman Senate asked PM's adviser on Foreign Affairs to come in the house tomorrow (Thursday) and take the house into confidence on India's recent test of an Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor missile.
The advisor while expressing concerns over India's test of this missile had said other day that Pakistan might consider upgrading its defence capabilities. "Our security is facing threats with this test and the adviser should brief the house on the issue," he remarked. The lawmakers taking part in the debate on the annual reports of the Council of Common Interest s (CCI) for the consecutive two years from 2013 to 2015 stressed for the revival of the office of the CCI and the establishment of a separate CCI Secretariat as required under the constitution.
They asked that the government should adhere to the constitution by summoning the meeting of CCI within every 90 days. Usman Khan Kakar of PKMAP said that no provincial chief minister was ready to put the China Pakistan Economic Corridor Project (CPECP) on the agenda of CCI and the provincial governments were also not interested to take up the issue through CCI.
Minister of Inter-provincial Co-ordination Riaz Hussain Pirzada said that his ministry brought the issue of holding of census on the agenda of CCI but it has been delayed for some three moths because armed forces were not available for the security duties. The House witnessed introduction of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill, 2016 which was referred to the standing committee on information technology with remarks by the chair to also include the human rights committee while discussing the bill. Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmaker walked out of the house for one minute over water shortage in Karachi and alleged highhandedness against MQM workers.
QUESTION-HOUR The State Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources told Senate that Pakistan and China have reached an understanding for construction of 700 kilometres Gwadar-Nawabshah gas pipeline. Once sanctions on Iran are over, Pakistan will take just few months to lay 75 kilometres chunk of pipeline from Gwadar to Jivani to complete IP gas pipeline project on Pakistan side, he said, adding Iran too has yet to complete 240 kilometres of pipeline on its part to take the gas to Pakistan border.
Responding to a calling attention notice by Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, State Minister for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said that vacancies at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Medical University have already been advertised and would be filled as per rules.
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