Pakistan PM directs ministers to attend parliament sessions after deputy speaker’s complaint

Deputy Speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah has formally complained to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif about the repeated absence of ministers and parliamentary secretaries.

In a letter to the prime minister, Shah expressed his frustration over ministers failing to appear before lawmakers to answer questions, citing a lack of accountability and disrespect toward parliamentary proceedings.

He also sent a similar letter to Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, urging the government to ensure ministerial attendance.

The deputy speaker particularly referenced the National Assembly’s March 20 session, during which the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Communications were supposed to respond to 12 and seven questions, respectively. However, no representatives from either ministry were present to provide answers.

“This blatant disregard for parliamentary proceedings is not only a severe dereliction of duty but also an affront to the fundamental principle of collective ministerial responsibility,” Shah wrote in his letter.

He criticized the absence of ministers, saying it prevented key public interest issues from being addressed and undermined parliamentary accountability. He added that no alternative arrangements were made to ensure the questions were answered, further disrupting the session.

“As the minister of parliamentary affairs, the onus of ensuring seamless legislative business falls upon your esteemed office. The failure to secure ministerial representation in the house calls for immediate rectification to prevent any recurrence of such an unfortunate episode,” Shah stated.

The deputy speaker also lamented the financial and logistical costs associated with holding National Assembly sessions, saying they were being wasted due to the government's negligence.

He reminded the prime minister that under Article 91(6) of the constitution, the cabinet has a collective responsibility to answer before the parliament.

“To address this lapse and the non-seriousness toward parliamentary business, I felt it necessary to bring the matter to your notice for redressal so that parliamentary democracy may be strengthened in its true spirit,” he added.

Following the complaint, government sources said that Shehbaz had taken notice of the matter and directed the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs to make attendance at the National Assembly and Senate sessions—at least during the Question Hour—mandatory for all ministers, ministers of state, and parliamentary secretaries.

“The strengthening of parliament is everyone’s responsibility, and every effort should be made toward this goal,” Shehbaz was quoted as saying. “Cabinet members must participate in house business with full preparation and interest.”

Precautionary letter issued to cabinet members

Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, who also serves as the ruling PML-N’s chief whip, confirmed the government’s response in a statement to Nukta. He said a precautionary letter had been issued to cabinet members, instructing them to take parliamentary affairs seriously.

“There is no more room for this matter to be taken lightly,” Chaudhry said. “It is hoped that ministers and parliamentary secretaries will ensure their attendance in future sessions.”

During the last National Assembly session, federal ministers were present during Question Hour on only four out of eight days, prompting multiple warnings from the deputy speaker. Despite these warnings, ministerial absences persisted, leading to Shah’s formal complaint to the prime minister.