NA session again falls prey to lack of quorum: Opposition refuses to debate Sialkot lynching case in absence of interior minister

ISLAMABAD: The opposition in the National Assembly refused to hold debate on the Sialkot tragedy in the House amid lack of quorum and in the absence of the interior minister on Friday.

The opposition also forced adjournment of proceedings till Monday due to lack of quorum. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan asked for suspending order o f the day so that the parliamentarians could hold a debate on situation arising out of killing of Sri Lankan factory manager by mob in Sialkot. The motion was adopted by the House.

Taking the floor, the PMLN parliamentarian Ahsan Iqbal said there would be no use of debate in the absence of the interior minister, who should give a policy statement on the Sialkot incident.

“This House is not a debating society or high school where they should participate in debate competition," he said. Moreover, he added, the information minister, who speaks on government's narratives, and law minister, who should talk about the issue, are also not present in the House. He said the Sialkot incident blotted the image of Islam and Pakistan.

Earlier, Babar Awan said the culprits involved in killing of Sri Lankan manager had been arrested while investigation was under process. He said the Police would submit challan at the earliest and the court would take ahead the case as per law.

Babar Awan, however, added that two houses should work on legislation to make criminal laws more effective to deal with cases like Sialkot, Army Public School, Zainab and Noor Muqadam cases.