National Assembly extends duration of seven ordinances
PTI’S Omar Ayub terms the session ‘against the law’ and condemns government’s move of presenting ordinances for 120-day extension before the parliament
Amidst an uproar created by the opposition members, the National Assembly on Friday adopted the resolution tabled by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar, calling for an extension in the duration of seven ordinances by 120 days.
The NA session chaired by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq witnessed a ruckus from the opposition benches as the government presented seven ordinances in the lower house of the parliament for the extension.
Tarar laid before the House two bills on Friday. These included: The Civil Courts Amendment Bill, 2024 and the Legal Aid and Justice Authority Amendment Bill, 2024.
The chair referred the bills to the standing commitees concerned.
Tarar also laid before the House seven ordinances.
These included: Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation Amendment Ordinance 2023, Pakistan National Shipping Corporation Amendment Ordinance, 2023, Pakistan Postal Services Management Board Amendment Ordinance, 2023, the National Highway Authority Amendment Ordinance 2023, the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance, 2023, the Privatisation Commission Amendment Ordinance, 2023 and the Establishment of Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal Ordinance, 2023.
PTI’S Omar Ayub terming the session “against the law” condemned the government’s move of presenting seven ordinances. He said they have not seen the ordinances presented in the house.
The PTI leader also challenged that even members of treasury benches have not read the ordinances presented before the house for approval.
During the session, the opposition members tore the copies of the agenda.
Hiting out at the opposition, the law minister, in a reference to EX-PTI chairman’s Imran Khan’s leter to the IMF, said that those who wrote leters to the money-lending organisation were not the country’s well-wishers and wanted its annihilation.
“Will they please tell me which party they belong to?” he questioned, adding that the status of these opposition members was not yet clear. Responding to a calling atention notice moved by Naveed Qamar and others, Minister for Commerce Jamal Kamal Khan said the temporary ban on export of bananas and onions is Ramadan specific.
He said the decision was taken at the cabinet level ater a summary was moved to it by the Ministry of National Food Security.
He said the ban on export of these products is till April 15.
He, however, said we are cognizant of the concerns of the agriculturists and this time can be reduced if the things go smoothly.
The resolution moved by Shazia Marri denounced the continued Israeli aggression which has led to the loss of over thirty thousand lives of Palestinians since October last year.
The resolution called upon the federal government to play a more proactive role in pushing the international community to enforce a ceasefire in Gaza.
The NA session was then adjourned for an indefinite period.
Later talking to journalists ater the NA session, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan admited the parliament had the power to make laws but today the law-making began by violating the law.
He was of the view that the manner in which the Lower House passed laws was unconstitutional.
Separately, despite having dozens of renowned lawyers, PTI is failing to evolve a flawless strategy in important maters as they could not chalk out an effective plan to receive the reserved seats for women and minorities ater the general election.
Likewise, although there are several reasons to criticise the Supreme Court’s Jan.13 order that stripped the PTI of its electoral symbol — the cricket bat, it is also a fact that there were many discrepancies in the manner in which the party conducted its internal polls.
One of the key members of the PTI’S legal team conceded that the party had made a mistake by asking its independent MPS to join the Sunni Itehad Council (SIC).