SPY EYES

ISLAMABAD - Opposition benches in the Senate have strongly protested against giving Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India by the federal cabinet as well as the decision of two weekly offs by government.

Jamaat-i-Islami Senator Professor Khurshid Ahmad said according MFN status by cabinet to India runs counter to the desires of the people and this decision has been taken without taking parliament into confidence.
“We are not opposed to trade but national interest should be kept supreme in this regard. Our fiscal deficit will further grow owing to trade with India and India will be the main beneficiary in this way”, he cautioned. India has been declared MFN under US pressure, he charged.

Speaking on points of orders, members said two holidays a week were affecting the common man more while bureaucracy was enjoying them. In addition the economy was daily suffering losses of billions of rupees. Prof Khurshid said two holidays are against the interest of the country as it were causing Rs20 to 25 billion losses daily. He said the decision of two holidays was taken by the cabinet and it must bear the responsibility.

Speaking on a point of order ANP Senator Ilyas Bilour said that the house would like to know how much electricity was being saved from the decision. He said he had submitted an adjournment motion on two holidays but it has not been brought to the house. He said with the onset of winter, ACs and fans were not being used in offices and the two holidays were of no benefit to the country. He said the country was already in deep economic crisis and two holidays would further negatively impact it.
PML-Q Senator Wasim Sajjad said that in any country holidays are announced in line with traditions and economic conditions. He said two weekly offs are observed in those countries whose economy is vibrant. No holiday is observed on birth and death anniversaries of its national leaders in UK, for example. In Pakistan, only one holiday is being observed since independence and we cannot afford more holidays. The country cannot afford two weekly offs, he added. JUI-F Senator Azam Khan Swati said problems cannot be resolved through adhoc arrangements. He was of the view that people would have to come to the street to force the rulers to attend to their problems.

Opposition and treasury benches also voiced their strong protest against non-presence of ministers in the house. Senate Acting Vice Chairman Jan Muhammad Jamali adjourned the session for 10 minutes in protest against the absence of ministers.
Taking serious note on the issue, Senate presiding officer directed chief whip and leader of the house to ensure presence of ministers in next session and bring the matter to the notice of the prime minister.
Senator Safdar Abbasi regretted that federal cabinet lacked discipline. Ministers were staging walk out from cabinet meeting, he said, adding that one minister had approached Supreme Court against the government. Cabinet had been split up and there was disorder of top order in the ranks of cabinet, he remarked. He pointed out that funds have not been released to Senators. The prime minister holds Rs28 billion under discretionary funds head then as to why he was not releasing Rs2 billion, he questioned.

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Source: www.nation.com.pk