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National Assembly. PHOTO: RADIO PAKISTAN
ISLAMABAD:
The government’s attempt to pass the FC Restructuring Amendment Bill through a supplementary agenda failed in the National Assembly on Thursday after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) staged a walkout, breaking the quorum.
The session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, began with the Question Hour when opposition member Iqbal Afridi pointed out the lack of quorum. A count confirmed the quorum was incomplete, prompting the deputy speaker to adjourn the sitting.
When the session resumed after a short break, Federal Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry presented the Pakistan Airports Authority (Amendment) Bill and the Iqbal Academy (Amendment) Bill. The House passed the Iqbal Academy (Amendment) Bill, 2025 with a majority vote.
Parliamentary Secretary Farah Akbar introduced the National Heritage and Culture Bill 2025, which was also passed after amendments proposed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) lawmakers were rejected.
The government later attempted to introduce the FC Restructuring Amendment Bill 2026 through the supplementary agenda. However, opposition members gathered around the Speaker’s dais and demanded a quorum count.
Initially, the chair continued the proceedings and began presenting clauses of the bill for approval, with two or three clauses passing. However, the opposition pressed for a count. When the count was conducted, the quorum was found incomplete as MQM members staged a walkout.
Federal Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry attempted to persuade MQM members to return to the House, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The session was later adjourned indefinitely, preventing the passage of the FC Amendment Bill.
The MQM protested against the sudden change of the Sindh governor. MQM lawmaker Aminul Haque later said the party staged the walkout because the government had not taken it into confidence, adding that the party might leave the government.
