ISLAMABAD: The leader of Grand Democratic Alliance, Dr. Fahmida Mirza has strongly criticized the ruling coalition for passing the resolution to establish a parliamentary committee for judicial reforms, calling it an attempt to reduce the powers of the judiciary.
According to media reports, while speaking on point of order in the National Assembly, Dr. Fahmida Mirza described the passing of the resolution as regrettable and warned the government against attempts to usurp the jurisdiction of the judiciary.
After Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the heads of the ruling coalition parties criticized the judiciary on the decision of the 3-member bench of the Supreme Court, the National Assembly passed a resolution to establish a special parliamentary committee for judicial reforms 2 days ago. , the Supreme Court decision deprived Hamza Shehbaz of the top post in the Punjab Chief Ministership case.
The resolution was read out by Prime Minister Nazir Tarar in the House and was supported by the small opposition comprising dissident members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).
Dr Fahmida Mirza, who served as Speaker of the National Assembly during the previous Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government, claimed that there is no real opposition in the House at present.
He further said that without a strong opposition, there can be no real democracy in the country and no parliament can be strong.
The GDA leader from Badin added that the judiciary plays a watchdog role while the government has made a mockery of Parliament through a unilateral resolution.
He also expressed regret over the alleged failure of the Sindh government to provide relief to the rain-affected people in the province.
As soon as Dr. Fahmida Mirza finished her speech and took her seat and Leader of Opposition Raja Riaz stood in the House to answer her, another member of GDA, Ghous Bakhsh Mehr, attacked Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram to stop her from answering. Durrani pointed out the lack of quorum.
Later, the Deputy Speaker announced to adjourn the meeting of the House till Friday morning due to the lack of quorum, the presence of a quarter of the 342-member House i.e. 86 MNAs is necessary to continue the meeting.
Earlier, during the assembly proceedings, JUI(F) MNAs Jamaluddin, Mohammad Anwar and Salahuddin Ayubi, independent MNA from the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Mohsin Dawar drew attention. through drawing the attention of the government that local people are not being given jobs for natural resource exploration work in North Waziristan, Laki Marwat and other areas.
Responding to the attention notice, Minister of State for Petroleum Dr. Mossadegh Malik said that exploration companies are contractually bound to provide jobs to local people.
He said that currently, 2 companies Oil and Gas Development Company Limited and Mari Petroleum Company Limited are operating in the areas identified by the legislators.
According to the state news agency Associated Press of Pakistan, the Minister of State told the House that OGDCL has hired more than 500 local people as project workers while the company will hire more local people.
