NA opposition stages walkout as govt refuses to postpone exams

ISLAMABAD: The quorum syndrome continued to hit the proceedings of the National Assembly on Friday after the opposition parties staged a walkout while expressing dissatisfaction over the reply of the parliamentary secretary to the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training for not agreeing with their suggestion to delay the board exams.

Following the walkout, PMLN legislator Sheikh Fayazuddin pointed out the quorum and after the count was made, Speaker Asad Qaisar adjourned the house till Monday.

Earlier, raising the issue of delay in the board exams, PMLN legislator Khwaja Saad Rafique said the issue to delay the board exams was raised on Thursday and the speaker had directed arranging a meeting with the Education minister. He said the issue is related to 5 million students of Matric and Intermediate and the preparation of thousands of the students is not complete because their schools did not complete their courses.

Parliamentary Secretary for Education Wajiha Qamar said the exams cannot be delayed. She said the decision to hold the board exams was taken in consultation with the provinces.

While responding to a point of order, Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan assured that all stranded Pakistanis in Europe and the Middle East will be brought to the country by 20th of this month.

Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Malik Anwar Taj laid before the house the Pakistan Maritime Zones Bill 2021. Meanwhile, the speaker deferred the bill pertaining to senior citizens residing in Islamabad.