ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Friday witnessed some rowdy scenes over the controversy involving the time-bound provincial quota in federal services that expired on Aug 13.
The issue was raised by PPP Senator Mian Raza Rabbani who sought to know what was being done by the government to revive the quota system which required an amendment in the constitution.
The article 27 (1) of constitution allocates quotas in government jobs to provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Similar quotas are prescribed for minorities, women and other marginalised classes of society.
Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq said a quota for 10 years fixed in 1973 had been extended for another 10 years in 1983. It was again extended for 20 years and now after its expiry on Aug 13 an amendment in the constitution was required, he added.
When Mr Rabbani pointed out that the expiry of quota system would affect Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and southern Punjab, and asked what the government was doing on the issue, Mr Haq came up with a counter-question, asking why nothing had been done during the tenure of the PPP government.
Mr Rabbani insisted that it was not possible at that time because the term of the PPP government had ended before the expiry of the quota system.
Rejecting Mr Rabbani’s assertions, Mr Haq said the PPP government could have taken a decision and initiated a process in this regard.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Riaz Pirzada said the matter was discussed at a cabinet meeting, but the decision was deferred for 10 days because the prime minister wanted to consult provincial governments on the issue.
Senator Rabbani, however, stressed that if consensus was to be evolved, the matter should have been taken to the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and not to the cabinet.
Senator Aitzaz Ahsan observed that it was an important constitutional issue and requested the chair to refer the matter to the privileges committee.
Deputy Chairman of Senate Sabir Baloch, who was presiding over the session, referred the matter to the committee.
The decision of the chair enraged PML-N senators who rose from their seats in protest and accused him of being a partisan.
Senator Rabbani said the opposition would not allow the government to bulldoze the rights of smaller provinces.
This was the point when an exchange of hot words started between Senator Mushahidullah Khan of PML-N and Senator Rabbani which turned into a rare pandemonium in the house.
Even after mikes of both sides were switched off, the exchange of hot arguments continued for sometime.
Senator Haq later said the cabinet had approved in principle an amendment to article 27 which would shortly be introduced.
Mr Ahsan advised him to give this viewpoint to the privileges committee. He, however, announced a walkout from the house by PPP senators in protest against the use of `inappropriate’ remarks by Senator Mushahidullah for Senator Rabbani.
When the PPP senators were brought back to the house the environment had changed and Mr Mushahidullah tendered an apology over his behaviour.
Senator Rabbani said such an environment should not have been created in the house.
MoU with India: Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif informed the house in a written reply that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the import of electricity from India was ready. The national transmission and dispatch company had endorsed the draft MoU and the prime minister had approved the summary for the project, he added.
He said as a first step an interconnection would be built between Amratsar and Lahore. The MoU is subject to approval of all relevant ministries, departments and agencies of both the governments and after which it will be signed by both sides. He said the rate for the import of electricity from India had not yet been finalised.