ISLAMABAD – Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has dispelled the impression that he deliberately remained absent from the House to facilitate the treasury benches for the passage of “The State Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2022.”
Speaking on a point of personal explanation, he said he received the agenda at around 1 a.m. in the night.
Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, however said he has submitted his resignation to his party and he does not want to remain Leader of Opposition in Senate.
Leader of the House Dr Shahzad Wasim, while responding to the points raised by the Opposition Leader, appreciated the chairman for running business of the House as per rules and regulations. He said it was the responsibility of the opposition to ensure the presence of its members on the floor of the House if it wants to oppose a certain agenda item.
Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan said the government has sold the State Bank of Pakistan by passing this bill, which is against Pakistan’s sovereignty.
Senator Dilawar Khan said he supported the bill in the best interest of Pakistan and the nation.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan has urged the youth to play its due role in countering the fifth generation war imposed on Pakistan and to respond to negative propaganda against Pakistan’s ideology, Islam, our institutions, and sacred personalities.
Responding to a motion moved by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan regarding performance of cyber crime wing of the FIA, the Minister of State said the government allocated 868 million rupees to check electronic crimes in the country.
He said the growing internet traffic has resulted in the rising cyber crimes. He said FIA is responding to every complaint.
Ali Muhammad Khan also welcomed suggestions to recruit female staff in the FIA’s Cyber Crime Wing so that women can approach them with ease for redressal of their complaints.
The Senate on Monday passed three resolutions, including the resolve to preserve and protect the parliamentary form of government as envisaged in the 1973 Constitution as any other form of Government, will have disastrous consequences for the Federation.
The resolution, moved by Raza Rabbani and others, noted that a systematic campaign in a section of the media and social media is being run to undermine the Federal Parliamentary form of Government.
The second resolution moved by Zeeshan Khanzada and others recommended that Members of Parliament who have been accredited and designated by the Foreign Governments be appointed as Honorary Consul General of particular country in Pakistan.
The last resolution moved by Zeeshan Khanzada recommended that the Government should take steps for running passenger and freight trains between Quetta and Zahidan to facilitate travelling from Pakistan to Iran.
The Senate also passed “The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2022”, “The Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding (Amendment) Bill, 2022” and “The Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals (Amendment) Bill, 2022.”
The Chair referred the bills to the standing committees concerned.
The House will now meet at 10:30 am on Tuesday.
