In a major setback for the Pakistan government, the National Assembly was forced to adjourn its session on Thursday after failing to meet the required quorum to pass the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2024, exposing deep cracks within the treasury benches.
According to Dawn, the session descended into chaos when Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s motion to present the bill for passage was defeated 67-32 in a headcount vote, far below the minimum quorum of 84 required in the 336-member house.
Sensing the government’s weak presence, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers seized the opportunity to block the proceedings. After the deputy speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah confirmed the treasury’s numbers, PTI members staged a walkout, with Aamir Dogar formally pointing out the lack of quorum.
At the time, two out of three clauses in the bill had already been approved through a voice vote. In a desperate attempt to continue, the chair suspended the session for 30 minutes to gather more members. However, the situation worsened as attendance dropped further, compounding the government’s embarrassment.
When the session resumed, the quorum still wasn’t met, and the sitting was adjourned until Friday morning. The government also failed to table five other pending bills, highlighting internal coordination issues within the treasury benches.
Bill Already in Effect Temporarily
The Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2024 is currently in force via an ordinance, but parliamentary approval is necessary as the ordinance nears its constitutional expiry. The bill aims to:
- Resolve issues surrounding higher tax rates on income from federal government securities.
- Rationalise tax rates on business income of banking companies.
Opposition Blackout Raises Eyebrows
In a related development, state-run media and the National Assembly’s social media platforms maintained a blackout on opposition coverage, including excluding remarks from PTI members during question hour. This move has drawn criticism over the government’s suppression of parliamentary transparency.
The incident marks yet another political blow for the ruling coalition, highlighting both governance gaps and increasing opposition assertiveness within the legislature.