ISLAMABAD, Jun 14 (APP): Parliamentarians in the National Assembly on Tuesday demanded the Speaker to ensure punctuality and presence of ministers during budget session to address the queries of the members of the House.

The sitting scheduled at 04:00 pm on June 14 (Tuesday) started on at 04:56 pm and lawmakers demanded the Chair after recitation of the Holy Quran, Naat and Hadith to ensure punctuality and ministerial presence in the House.

Minister for Human Rights Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada said that sitting started almost an hour late against the scheduled time which is wastage of time.

He asked the Chair for start of the proceedings of the House in time so that lawmakers can utilize time during budget session in an effective way and raise issues related to economy and their constituencies.

PPPP lawmaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah demanded the Chair to summon the meeting of the business advisory committee to set SOPs between opposition and treasury lawmakers. He said that ongoing budget session is very important and opposition benches can be convinced for not pointing out the quorum.

Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf endorsed the views of Riaz Hussain Pirzada and Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah and ensured implementation on it.

Meanwhile, MQM legislator Engr. Sabir Hussain Kaim Khani said that session of the House should start in time as the legislators sit in lobbies and their presence in the House soon after the outset is not an issue.

MNA Noor Alam Khan said that opposition would not point out the quorum but Minister for Finance should be present during the debate on budget. In case of absence of Federal Minister for Finance, he said that Minister for State for Finance should be in the House while the relevant officials of concerned Ministry should note the suggestions of the lawmakers.

The Chair said that presence of cabinet members should be ensured to note important points raised by lawmakers.