ISLAMABAD: Less than two months after having passed a purportedly controversial resolution in support of the military courts, the upper house of the Parliament, again, with drastically thin attendance, has passed another apparently controversial yet non-binding resolution, this time seeking postponement of the general elections.

Dilawar Khan, a senator not affiliated with any political party, who earlier moved the resolution related to the military courts, was also the mover of the resolution seeking general polls’ postponement— in the Senate meeting on Friday.

On the last day of the house’s session before been prorogued, only 14 senators were present when Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani allowed Khan to move the resolution that was not part of the house’s business agenda.

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The lengthy resolution sought postponement of the general elections on account of cold weather in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, security threats, and resurgence of COVID-19 in the country.

Dr Afnanullah Khan from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), who was present in the session when the resolution was moved, strongly opposed this draft and handed it an outright rejection.

Speaking on the floor of the house, he recalled that the security situation was “far more challenging” when the general elections were held in 2008 and 2013.

“Will you keep delaying the elections citing weather and security as an excuse?” the lawmaker deplored, adding that the general polls of 2008 were also held in February.

Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi also opposed the resolution, although, he is not a member of the house.

Earlier on December 13, last year, Dilawar Khan moved a resolution rejecting Supreme Court’s landmark verdict against the trial of civilians in military courts. Only a dozen senators were present when that resolution was passed.

Later; however, several senators from various political parties strongly rejected the resolution.

Apart from that, one of Hamas spokespersons Dr Khalid Qadoumi witnessed the Senate session from the house’s visitor’s gallery on Friday. PML-N’s Mushahid Hussain informed the house about Qadoumi’s presence and welcomed him.

Hussain strongly condemned Israel’s ongoing aggression on Gaza.

Taking the floor, Leader of the House in Senate Ishaq Dar said, “It is our duty to support our Palestinian brothers. All the political forces need to join hands for Palestine cause.”

Earlier, in the question hour, Samina Khalid from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) pointed out the shortage of anti-epileptic drug carbamazepine.

She said this drug is not available in the market for the past eight to 10 months.

In response, caretaker Health Minister Dr Nadeem Jan admitted that the caretaker government was faced with the shortage of this drug.

He said the drug is not being imported due to “continuous fluctuation in dollar price.”

“Carbamazepine is not manufactured here. We have to import it—since its import is stopped, the shortage is persistent,” the caretaker minister said.

This issue, he said, can be resolved only in the long-term –with the government working on EPI (Expanded Programme on Immunisation.)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024