NA speaker irked at failure of Interior Ministry to respond to lawmakers’ queries

ISLAMABAD: Senior officials of the Interior Ministry earned the ire of National Assembly (NA) Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Friday owing to their failure to furnish responses to lawmakers’ questions.

As the NA session went under way, the speaker expressed his annoyance at the failure of the ministry to submit responses to queries raised by lawmakers. 

The speaker removed from the gallery the joint secretary and section officer of the ministry and ordered them to summon the interior secretary within five minutes. 

He observed that answers to questions have been delayed in several past sessions of the assembly as well. Sadiq also directed to bill the interior secretary for today’s NA session.

Speaking in the assembly, State Interior Minister Tallal Chaudhry said some answers are sought from the provinces which is why they were not furnished today. But the speaker responded that most questions have nothing to do with the provinces. 

"I cannot run the house in these conditions," said Sadiq, regretting that lawmakers prepare questions with hard work yet the ministries fail to respond. 

The speaker also threatened to write to the prime minister if things continue this way. 

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Shireen Mazari said the ministers need to be held accountable.

Later, owing to less than the required number of lawmakers, the session was adjourned and will now be held on Monday at 4pm.