ISLAMABAD - Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani Tuesday gave a rare ruling in the Senate, banning the entry of ministers in the upper house if they did not ensure their presence next time for the disposal of routine business.
Separately, on another issue, the government agreed to move a resolution in the house to condemn the incident of holding a contest of blasphemous caricatures in the name of free speech in Texas, the United States, as result of which two people were killed.
The Senate chairman said he would use his discretionary powers if even a single minister, state minister or special adviser to the PM did not turn up in the house to answer the questions of lawmakers during the question-hour session. The chair has already warned the ministers to ensure their presence during the question-hour session.
The chair gave the ruling that the entry of the ministers would be banned in the Senate session if this practice was repeated next time.
“I will not hesitate as the chair has the discretionary powers to issue the order preventing entry of a member or a minister from attending one sitting or the entire session of the house,” he issued the warning soon after the question-hour session was suspended due to absence of ministers from the house, especially Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. A number of questions regarding the Finance Ministry are pending in the house as Dar did not turn up in the house for the third consecutive day because he was abroad.
However, the government had conveyed to the Senate Secretariat in writing that the ministers could not attend Tuesday’ session as they would be with the prime minister who is in Bahawalpur to inaugurate the solar energy project.
Rabbani regretted the solar energy project was being inaugurated, but it was beyond his comprehension that the commence minister and some others who had nothing to do with the power-related issues have rushed to Bahawalpur.  “How the commerce minister and the state minister for education can claim that they could not come to the house as they are going to attend the inaugural ceremony of the solar energy project,” Rabbani questioned.
Referring to the rules of business of the house, he pointed out that a minister could not ignore the parliament, no matter how important engagements he has when the house is in session.
The Senate chairman also called upon the members to give the reasons for seeking leave instead of just mentioning that he/she could not attend the session due to personal engagement. “If we want to ensure the presence of the ministers, we must give the reasons in detail for grant of leave to the members,” he said.
Meanwhile, the government agreed to move a resolution, condemning the incident of holding a competition of caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) in Texas. Two men who opened fire outside the contest ‘in protest’ were shot dead by police on Sunday night.
Mushahid Hussain of PML-Q was the first to raise the issue and condemn the contest. He said it was held in the name of freedom of expression. “This kind of attitude needs criticism,” he said. He advised the government to lodge protest with President Obama and also take up the matter with the European Parliament and OIC. “President Mamnoon Hussain should write to President Obama on the issue,” he suggested.
Barrister Saif of MQM went a step ahead, saying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should raise the issue at the UN. He said there was a UN committee working in Geneva to hear complaints regarding religion and the government should raise this matter before it.
Raja Zafarul Haq said there should be some unanimous resolution from the house in this connection. “We will bring it in the house tomorrow,” he said.
PPP Senator Taj Haider, on a point of order, said that on one hand the PM has inaugurated 1,000MW solar power project, but on the other ban has been imposed on the establishment of new solar power projects in the provinces. He asked for lifting such a ban. The chair referred the matter to the Senate Committee on Water and Power.
Mohsin Aziz of PTI, on a point of order, criticised the Religious Affairs Ministry for seeking information about the sects of Hajj applicants. Leader of Opposition Aitzaz Ahsan endorsed him and said the issue was important.
Noman Wazir of PTI, on a point of order, said there should be seven or eight kinds of tariffs instead of the two that the government had levied. He also said it was not understood why the government provided sovereign guarantees on renewable energy, including wind and solar, whose per unit cost was Rs 22, but no such guarantees were given on hydel energy which costs as low as Rs 2 per unit.
Leader of Opposition Aitzaz Ahsan and Senator Nisar Muhammad Khan invited the attention of the house towards the fourth terrorism attack on Qaumi Wattan Party (QWP) chief and former interior minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao, seeking explanation from the interior minister. The chairman sought a detailed report from the Ministry of Interior.