The National Assembly session on Monday spiraled into turmoil after walkouts by both the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), leaving the government unable to maintain quorum.
The deputy speaker was forced to adjourn proceedings until quorum could be met, while fiery speeches, pointed accusations, and talk of a possible no-confidence motion dominated the day.
PPP walks out after Raja Pervaiz Ashraf’s speech
Tensions began when PPP members walked out following a charged speech by former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. He highlighted the plight of flood victims and criticized the government for failing to ensure harmony among coalition partners.
Ashraf emphasized that PPP had allied with the government only “for the sake of Pakistan,” and warned against stoking provincial divisions. “We are Punjabis but Pakistanis first,” he declared, praising Punjab’s chief minister while cautioning against spreading “the smell of provincialism.”
The PPP leader defended Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, saying the chairman had toured flood-hit regions and represented Pakistan globally with dignity. “Tell us any statement of Bilawal Bhutto against any party, government or personality,” he said, adding that PPP never worked to weaken the federation.
"We respect the Punjab chief minister, lest the chatter of provincialism spread," he stressed.
Ashraf also expressed disappointment over the withdrawal of security for PPP’s parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly, calling it an insult to his party. “Until we are satisfied, we cannot be part of the proceedings of the House,” he warned, before announcing PPP’s walkout.
Quorum disputes and PTI’s move
Following PPP’s exit, PTI lawmakers pointed out the quorum. When the count was held, the number of members present fell short, exposing the government’s difficulty in maintaining attendance.
Interestingly, PTI members initially helped complete the quorum, allowing PPP to voice its protests. But later, during MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar’s speech, PTI’s Nisar Jatt himself pointed out the quorum again—embarrassing the treasury benches.
With numbers clearly insufficient, the deputy speaker adjourned the session, underscoring the ruling PML-N’s struggle to keep the House in order.
Asad Qaiser’s big offer to PPP
Former speaker and PTI leader Asad Qaiser welcomed what he called PPP’s “friendly fire” against the government, declaring that his party would fully support a PPP-led no-confidence motion.
“If PPP is serious, we are ready to bring no-confidence,” Qaiser said. “We will support it if they bring the motion against the government.”
The comments added fuel to speculation about growing cracks within the coalition and potential realignments in the National Assembly.
Govt defends flood response
Amid the heated exchanges, Federal Minister for Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain submitted written replies on sugar production and exports. He said sugar exports were allowed in 2023–24 due to surplus reserves, with domestic consumption estimated at 6.4 million metric tons (MMT) and production at 6.7 MMT.
However, he admitted that actual sugarcane production was one MMT lower than estimated, causing prices to rise due to reduced output, adverse weather, and crop disease. To address the shortage, the government decided to ease duties and taxes on sugar imports for domestic consumers.
The minister clarified that the price hike was not due to government policy, and no individual or institution could be blamed for the crisis. He said deregulation was aimed at stabilizing supply, demand, and prices.
Session adjourned amid political deadlock
As chaos persisted, the deputy speaker adjourned the session until quorum could be achieved. With both PPP and PTI walking out, and the treasury unable to maintain numbers, the ruling coalition faced fresh challenges in keeping parliamentary proceedings functional.
The day’s events left lingering questions about political stability, flood relief accountability, and the possibility of a no-confidence motion in the near future.
