Islamabad [Pakistan], May 16 : The government was left red-faced in the National Assembly on Thursday after failing to secure the quorum required to pass a key money bill. Opposition lawmakers from the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) blocked the legislative process midway, exposing the treasury's weak presence in the house, Dawn reported.
The trouble began when Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb's motion to present the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2024 for passage was defeated by a 67-32 vote. With just 67 treasury members present - far short of the 84 required for quorum in the 336-member house - PTI lawmakers realised they could stall proceedings.
Following the headcount announcement by Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah, PTI members walked out en masse, leaving behind Aamir Dogar to formally point out the lack of quorum.
At that stage, the chair had already passed two of the bill's three clauses through a voice vote. Scrambling to salvage the situation, the deputy speaker ordered a fresh headcount and then suspended the session to allow time for quorum to be re-established. However, the government not only failed to bring in the 17 additional members needed, but also couldn't retain those already present. The house's strength dropped below even the initial 67, deepening the embarrassment, reported Dawn.
When the session resumed after a thirty-minute break, the government was still unable to meet the quorum, prompting the chair to adjourn the sitting until Friday morning. As a result, the remaining agenda, including the passage of five bills, remained incomplete.
Though the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2024 is already in effect via an ordinance issued last year, its passage in the Assembly is now mandatory, as the ordinance is nearing the end of its constitutional validity.
According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons, the bill aims to address implementation issues related to higher tax rates on income from federal government securities and to rationalise the tax rate on overall business income of banking companies.
Adding to the controversy, state-run media and the National Assembly's official social media platforms continued to enforce a blackout on opposition coverage. Even during the question hour, opposition members' remarks were excluded from official livestreams and coverage.