The Pakistab Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led federal government has deceitfully managed the passage of the State Bank of Pakistan Amendment Bill, but we will not sit idle and after consulting the other opposition parties would bring amendments to safeguard the sovereignty of the state.
For a mere few billion dollars of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan, the PTI government has compromised the financial autonomy of Pakistan. The State Bank of Pakistan would now be functioning under the direct supervision of the IMF.
Every government borrows from its central bank, but after the passage of this bill, the government would have to take loans only from the commercial banks — obviously on high interest rates which would further weaken the country’s economy.
The way the government clandestinely inserted the State Bank Amendment Bill in the agenda of the Senate late night without giving proper time to the opposition parties for consultation and reflection showed its mala fide intention. The government has virtually bulldozed the bill in the Upper House of the Parliament.
Even the Leader of Opposition Senator Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani was not aware of the induction of this controversial bill in the agenda late Thursday night and he could not travel to attend the session from his hometown.
The passage of this bill has virtually compromised the very financial sovereignty of the state at the hands of international financial institutions. We will strike it down when we come to power or at least will introduce amendments in it in consultation with all the opposition parties.
Even Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin has admitted flaws in the bill and said that it was finalized before his taking over the office. So, I think the opposition parties should sit together and propose amendments in the bill to make it workable without compromising the financial sovereignty of the state.
I think the role of chairman Senate was also partisan as he facilitated the treasury benches to manage the requisite strength in the house. It is also time for the opposition parties for retrospection and to see why some of their members abstain at the crucial time of voting on important matters.
We need to put our house in order so that in future the opposition in both houses of the parliament could play its due role. There is a need to stop the PTI government to further damage the country, its security and economy which was in great shape when the PML-N government had completed its five-year term in July 2018.
“It is a very good piece of legislation; it will bring transparency”
Shehryar Khan Afridi, PTI leader
There is a clear divide in the ranks of the opposition parties and that was proved by the successful passage of the State Bank Amendment Bill 2021. Though the opposition parties have a clear majority in the Senate, they failed to succeed due to division in their ranks.
I think the opposition parties have no policy or definite roadmap for the future and that is the reason they have been harping on one tune or the other to keep them relevant to the system. But they could not befool the people of Pakistan anymore as Prime Minister Imran Khan has fully exposed their loot and plunder of the national wealth.
You can imagine the seriousness of opposition from the fact that on the very important day, the opposition leader in the Senate was himself absent and was later seen making lame excuses for the Opposition’s failure in blocking the legislation which they dubbed as controversial and against the national interest.
I personally think that it is a very good piece of legislation, and it will bring transparency in financial matters.
With their defeat in the Senate, one can very well gauge how fake are the opposition’s claims that they will bring a no-trust move against the government. How the divided opposition parties, which failed to block a bill in the house where they have a majority, could bring a no-trust against the government?
Actually, with no agenda or plan in their strategy, the opposition parties are doing all the hullabaloo to keep themselves politically alive and keep their voters and supporters intact.
Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani’s outcry on the issue is hollow and baseless and even the Senators of his own party have criticised him for taking serious business of the house so casually.
Secondly, how can it be that when some members of the Upper House voted him (Gillani) to the slot of the leader of the opposition they were right in doing so, but when they voted in favour of the government on a bill, they were wrong. Such a dichotomy on the part of the opposition parties’ leaders would further fragment them.
Frankly speaking, we have no threat from the opposition parties, be it their long march or threats of a no-trust against the government. We are not taking such threats from the opposition parties seriously.
We have devised an extensive development plan for the rest of our term and people will see for themselves the real change in their lives. I am optimistic that people of Pakistan will again vote for PTI and will again elect us with even more seats as the PTI has not only cleared the mess of the past governments, it has introduced structural economic and judicial reforms in the country.
“The PPP is responsible for its members in the parliament”
Mohammad Ali Jamot, PPP Senator
It clearly showed the mala fide of the government to insert the State Bank Amendment Bill 2021 in the agenda at the last minute and even the Leader of Opposition in the Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani came to know about it late in the night (Jan 27, 2022) and could not attend the session next morning on Friday.
It was all done contrary to the rules as normally such important issues included in the agenda in consultation with all the Parliamentary groups in the house and secondly are referred to the relevant standing committees for deliberations.
The way the government bulldozed the State Bank Amendment Bill in the Senate could not be termed as democratic. It was an undemocratic step by an undemocratic government.
Our party leadership and the legal team will decide on whether to move the court of law or propose amendments in the controversial State Bank Amendment Bill. They will take other opposition parties in the Parliament in loop on this important matter and will challenge it on all the available forums.
The Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians stand by the party in every thick and thin and a wrong impression is being created by certain quarters that we (PPP) have facilitated the passage of this controversial bill.
The PPP is responsible for its members in the Parliament and so is the responsibility of the other parties to play their democratic role and strengthen the democratic norms by their conduct in the Parliament.
Dilawar Khan Group and other parties in the opposition whose members did not turn up on the day of voting on the controversial bill should ask their members about the reason for their absence. The PPP is only responsible for its members and could not ask anyone else to take action against their members who abstained from the proceedings of the Upper House on the day.
Those members who failed to attend the Senate proceedings on the day had valid reasons as some of them were abroad while the others were seriously ill and could not turn up. But the parties must take action against those who deliberately skipped the proceedings.
I think such events in the Parliament are detrimental to the fate and future of democracy in the country. All the political parties must ensure that their members follow the party policy and support its position.
Unfortunately, democracy is still at its nascent stage in the country and is faced with multiple challenges. It is in the interest of all political forces including the political parties of the country to help in strength the system rather than undermining it. Pakistan must take precedence over our personal and group interests.
