Islamabad -  The Senate session was prorogued sine side on Friday owing to the thin attendance of members and the absence of key ministers.

Interestingly, only one minister was present while key leaders including Leader of the House Raja Zafar-ul Haq as well as Leader of Opposition Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan did not show up.

Consequently, the Upper House, which met under Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani, could not even dispose of the question hour which annoyed the chairman who prorogued the House with a stern warning to the ministers ensure their presence.

On the other hand, it was revealed in an un-starred question that the government has not calculated the total financial cost of country’s ongoing war on terror.

Responding to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Senator Chaudhry Tanveer’s query from the finance ministry regarding the cost of the war, the reply said that the interior ministry has not yet replied the finance ministry’s query in this regard.

As the relevant minister was not present during the session, former state minister for interior and Federal Education Minister Baleeghur Rehman said that the government did not have details and a breakdown of the cost.

He said that Pakistan has incurred direct and indirect losses in the war on terror.

He said that it could only be estimated how much was incurred since a breakdown of the total cost would be a cumbersome process.

Expressing his shock over the response, Rabbani came down hard on the government for not knowing how much cost has been incurred in the war against terrorism. “The government will [at some point] have to answer this question,” he said. Earlier, as the question-answer session began, the Senate chairman was irked at the absence of relevant ministers.

In response, Mutahidda Qaumi Movement Senator Atiq Shiekh commented that when there was no governance in the entire country, “what you expect in Parliament”.

Later, Federal Education Minister Rehman appeared in the Senate and apologized, saying he thought the proceedings would start later than they happened.

“Is the country being run from abroad,” asked Rabbani after noting that the state ministers for energy and statistics were not in the country?

Earlier, Rehman while responding to a question informed the Senate that 90 percent work on Fish Landing Jetty and Allied Harbor Facilities at Surbandar Gwadar has been completed and remaining work would be completed during the current fiscal year.

The minister said the aim of the project was to provide basic facilities for berthing and handling of fishing vessels.

He said the project was being funded by the federal and Balochistan governments on an 80-20 percent cost-sharing basis.

He said the project would provide an alternate harbor for the fishermen of the area.