Uproar in Senate over resolution backing military courts

ISLAMABAD: In a sharp turn of events, senators from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) strongly protested in the Senate on Tuesday against the passage of a resolution a day earlier which rejected the Supreme Court’s verdict on military courts.

The protesting senators demanded to withdraw the resolution. In the presence of about a dozen lawmakers, a resolution was moved in the House on Monday and adopted towards the end of the private members day.

Only one lawmaker of PMLN could speak while others, including Mian Raza Rabbani and Mushtaq Ahmad, could not get on the floor. The House proceedings lasted for a few minutes after the lack of quorum was pointed out.

Other senators, who were also part of the protest, included Tahir Bizenjo of the National Party and PPP’s Syed Taj Haider. The Leader of the House and Leader of the Opposition were not seen in the sparsely attended sitting.

As the House resumed, PML-N member Saadia Abbasi lodged a vehement protest, forcing the deputy chairman to allow her to speak. “Yesterday, a resolution was passed in the House when only 11-12 members were present by ignoring the rules and regulations. This process was conducted in haste. We neither support it nor it strengthens democracy in the country,” she asserted.

Abbasi contended that what the Supreme Court did was in the interest of the people of Pakistan, pointing out the apex court had twice turned down the military courts. This House, Abbasi said, was used for the adoption of such a resolution as negation of democracy.

Senator Abbasi wondered what the haste was in the passage of such a resolution when majority members were not around and why it was not brought on the agenda. She asked the members to strongly condemn the resolution and demanded to take it back.

While Abbasi was speaking, some other senators were also on their feet and wanted to express their opinion. Senator Mushtaq even came forward, stood right in front of the dais of the chairman and pleaded for an opportunity to allow him and other members to speak for a couple of minutes.

Raza Rabbani also kept on speaking without being given the floor. However, the chair appeared adamant on first exhausting the Question-Hour and two calling attention notices. In the meantime, PTI’s Saifullah Abro drew the chair’s attention towards the quorum.

The count was made and the House was found lacking quorum, forcing the chair to suspend the proceedings. Another count was made after the bells were rung but there were hardly 16 lawmakers in the House, which was adjourned to meet again on Friday morning.