Tents quality under scrutiny in Senate
By Zulfiqar Ahmad

ISLAMABAD—The Opposition again on Thursday observed walkout of the Senate session when the government turned down the former’s request by not handing over the matter of provision of poor qualities tents, to Senate Standing Committee.
Raising the issue on a point of order, leader of the opposition in the upper house Raza Rabbani sought attention of the government that awarding of contract for making tents to a textile mills of Federal Minister Mushtaq Cheema was a sensitive matter as poor qualities tents and other irregularities were found and the matter should be handed over to Senate Standing Committee.
Leader of the house Wasim Sajjad played down the request of the opposition leader by saying that there was no need to assign the matter to Senate Standing Committee and that would be mere waste of time as state of emergency was in place in the country amid quake devastations.
Professor Khurshid noted it was a sensitive matter, which should be probed thoroughly that’s why the matter should be handed over to standing committee.
“I accept that state of emergency has been declared in the country but it does not mean that individuals be given free hand to commit irregularities and corruption and play with the lives of millions of quake-affectees,” Raza Rabbani underscored.
Federal Minister for Health Muhammad Nasir Khan informed that with the fast approaching chilly weather in quake-torn areas, provision of tents to the affectees was a must to avert any untoward incidents or more deaths.
Opposition member Abdullah Rihar while taking part in debate said that treasury members and ministers were insisting that quality tents were provided to the quake-affectees saying if that tents have been proved of poor quality after the lapse of two months than the ministers should tender resignations.
Federal Minister for education Javed Ashraf Qazi underlined that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has decided formation of Parliamentary committee for supervision of Relief and Reconstruction activities but the opposition did not accept it.
Rabbani blamed some ministers for disrupting the upper house session as the allegations of poor qualities of tents had been publishing in the national dailies.
At this the opposition, observed walkout of the session as the government turned down their demand to assign the matter of poor quality tents to senate standing committee.
Professor Khurshid noted it was a sensitive matter, which should be probed thoroughly that’s why the matter should be handed over to standing committee.
Chairman Senate Mohammedmian Soomro soon after opposition walkout adjourned Senate session by today (Friday) morning.