ISLAMABAD - The National Assembly in Tuesday’s proceedings saw rumpus over the matter of introducing the bill related to enhance the number of judges in the Islamabad High Court for the sake of speedy justice.

The chair, on the private members day, was swiftly disposing of agenda when the opposition interrupted him (deputy speaker) for rejecting to introduce the bill of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) member.

Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Soori, observing the emotions of opposition, conducted voting in the house and rejected to introduce ‘The Islamabad High Court (amendment) 2019’ bill. In voting, 94 votes were counted in favour of the bill (from opposition benches) and 96 from treasury benches opposed it.

Unsatisfied from the voting, the opposition members refused to accept the voting and asked the chair to once again conduct voting.

Most of them, mainly from backbenches, also gathered around the speaker’s podium forcing him for re-voting on the bill.

The opposition almost blocked the proceedings and virtually forced the deputy speaker to suspend the house for ten minutes to settle the controversy. This ten minutes break stretched to over an hour.

Later, the chair accepted the demand of opposition after a long meeting with the parliamentary leaders of the National Assembly.

“It was decided after the meeting with parliamentary leaders to conduct voting on this bill,” said the deputy speaker introducing the bill. The bill was later referred to concerned standing committee for threadbare discussion on it.

The statement of objects and reasons of ‘The Islamabad High Court (amendment), 2019’, says the Islamabad High Court established under the Islamabad High Court Act, 2010 became functional in January 2011.

“According to the above said act the numbers of judges are only six but due to the large number of cases and for the sake of speedy justice the number of judges in Islamabad High Court shall be enhanced up to ten. It is proposed through this amendment all provinces and federating units may be given representation in the Islamabad High Court,” it said.

Controversy in the ranks of opposition was also created over voting on the bill as PPP-P’s lawmakers shared concerns with the PML-N’s senior members for not giving votes in the favour of opposition member. The PML-N members, however, clarified they had given vote in favour of opposition (JUI-F) member.

On Tuesday, the house could only dispose of four agenda items and 54 remained untouched due to furore on the bill.

About ‘Non-smokers health ordinance, 2002,bill’, the chair rejected the bill after taking voice vote from the house. Another bill related to ‘Microfinance Institutions (amendment),2019’ was introduced in the house.

Federal Minister for Aviation Division Muhammad Mian Soomro, responding to call-attention notice, said the flights from Peshawar to Kuala Lumpur would be resumed from March this year or earlier depending on the availability of planes. Pakistani community in Malaysia had raised the issue during the visit of Prime Minister to the South East Asian country.

PPP-P senior leader Khursheed Shah, with the onset of proceedings, raised objections before the chair for not starting the house on time. “The house should be started on time...This is the supreme institution, but it should not be treated in this way,” said Shah.

PTI’s Shireen Mazari, responding to the concerns raised by opposition, principally accepted the stance. “This was being practiced for last government’s era but we support the idea for starting the time on time,” she said.