The government was left alone after the treachery step of the opposition party in blocking the important tax bill passage. Opposition outmaneuvers treasury in National Assembly: The government was left alone in the middle of the process of bill passage. The opposition party smartly outclass the government. The treasury benches could only gather 67 members, …
Government Struggles With Tax Bill Amid Quorum Crisis, Media Blackout
The government was left alone after the treachery step of the opposition party in blocking the important tax bill passage.
Opposition outmaneuvers treasury in National Assembly:
The government was left alone in the middle of the process of bill passage. The opposition party smartly outclass the government. The treasury benches could only gather 67 members, far short of the 84 needed for a quorum in the 336-member house. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb had tabled the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2024 for approval. PTI leaders turned the table, and the government lost 67-32 votes for the tax bill. PTI members walked out, leaving behind Aamir Dogar to point out the lack of quorum. This happened after two of the bill’s three clauses had already been passed through a voice vote.
Also Read: IMF Urges Pakistan To Impose Additional Rs 430 Billion Tax
Session suspended:
Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah hurriedly called for a headcount. Not only was the government unable to bring in the 17 missing members to complete the quorum, but more lawmakers left. It caused numbers to fall even further. The deputy speaker had no choice but to adjourn the session until Friday morning. The delay also meant that five other important bills listed on the agenda could not be discussed.
The Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2024 was previously introduced as an ordinance but is now nearing expiration. The bill aims to ease tax burdens on income from federal securities and adjust tax rates for banks.
Media silence on opposition voices:
The opposition faced complete restrictions outside the assembly. State-run media and the National Assembly’s official social platforms ignored the session entirely once the opposition took the floor. This media blackout isn’t new. The assembly’s discussion on Pakistan-India tensions following the Pahalgam attack was also kept off the record. When Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan protested the censorship of his speech, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq justified it. He claimed that he had the right to remove anything “against national interest.”
On May 6, only speeches from the government benches were aired on PTV. Live broadcasts on YouTube and Facebook were also suspended. A senior assembly official had said this was due to the sensitive nature of the topic and that live streaming would resume later.
No official response:
Internal sources confirmed that the blackout orders came from Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. Though there was no official statement regarding the media blackout. The PTI facing blackout in coverage has raised serious concerns not just for the party but for every opposition voice in the country. Moreover, it also raises questions about Pakistan’s democracy and media freedom in the parliamentary process.
