The National Assembly session on Monday saw seven bills approved before proceedings were suspended once again owing to a lack of quorum. The sitting in Islamabad was marked by low attendance and the absence of ministers, and it also exposed a disagreement between the chair and the government over who may answer questions on the floor of the house.
A resolution against India’s atrocities and unlawful acts in occupied Kashmir was also put off after proceedings were suspended, following a lawmaker’s objection over the absence of quorum.
Seven Bills Passed Before Adjournment
During the National Assembly session, the house passed seven bills, all of them amendments to existing laws. These were:
- the Pakistan Study Centres (Amendment) Bill 2026
- the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (Amendment) Bill 2026
- the Travel Agencies (Amendment) Bill 2026
- the Pakistan Tourist Guide (Amendment) Bill 2026
- the Pakistan Hotels and Restaurants (Amendment) Bill 2026
- the Motion Pictures (Amendment) Bill 2026
- the National College of Arts Institutes (Amendment) Bill 2026
The legislation covers education, tourism, hospitality and the film sector, among other areas. The bills were approved while attendance in the house remained thin.
Lack of Quorum Halts Proceedings
As the bills were being passed, interim PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan rose to speak on a point of order. The speaker asked him to wait until the passage of the bills was complete.
MNA Sohail Sultan then pointed out the lack of quorum, which compelled the speaker to adjourn the house until 11am on Tuesday. The development meant that the resolution on occupied Kashmir could not be taken up during the National Assembly session.
Dispute Over Parliamentary Secretaries
Earlier in the sitting, lawmakers took offence when a parliamentary secretary responded to a question on education asked by MNA Syeda Amnah Batool. The reply prompted a debate on why to-the-point answers were not being provided in the house and why responses were being given by parliamentary secretaries instead of the ministers concerned.
Ms Batool had asked whether a national plan existed to align university degrees with market needs, how many universities in the country were imparting such skills, and whether the government intended to make internships or industry placements mandatory in selected degree programmes. Parliamentary Secretary Rabia Rahim said the government had made a policy under which the Higher Education Commission (HEC) would not verify the degree of any student who had not completed the required internship.
The matter was raised again when MNA Shagufta Jumani asked about the completion time and cost of the Neelum-Jhelum power project, and a parliamentary secretary attempted to respond. The speaker said he would not allow any irrelevant secretary to reply, adding that it was the job of the minister or the parliamentary secretary concerned to answer questions.
Government Cites Rules on Ministerial Status
Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, quoting the rules, said parliamentary secretaries enjoyed the status of a minister and could therefore reply to questions on a minister’s behalf. The speaker responded that if that were the case, ministers had no need to attend the proceedings of the National Assembly.
Law Minister Azam Tarar said it was ideal for ministers to give the answers, but that under the law parliamentary secretaries were authorised to reply on their behalf.
Attendance Remains a Concern
The latest National Assembly session adds to a pattern of proceedings being cut short by a lack of quorum. The exchange over parliamentary secretaries also underlines a wider question about accountability on the floor of the house. Lawmakers submit questions in the expectation of direct answers from the ministers responsible for the subject, while the government maintains that the rules allow parliamentary secretaries to respond in their place.
The house is scheduled to meet again at 11am on Tuesday. Whether the resolution on occupied Kashmir will be taken up then remains to be seen.
Follow SouthAsianDesk on X, Instagram, and Facebook for insights on business and current affairs from across South Asia.
