Tag: State Bank of Pakistan Amendment Bill

  • PPP’s Gilani says he couldn’t reach Islamabad in time so had to miss important senate session

    PPP’s Gilani says he couldn’t reach Islamabad in time so had to miss important senate session

    Leader of the Opposition in Senate Yusuf Raza Gilani, while speaking on Geo News programme, ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, said that he had not received the agenda of the Senate till 1 AM of the night between January 27 to January 28.

    Speaking about his absence from the Senate on Friday as the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Amendment Bill 2021 got passed, Gilani said, “It was humanly impossible for me to reach in six hours to Islamabad.”

    “If and when can’t make history. There were a lot of honorable members who were missing. I will question the Dilawar Khan group as to why they voted in favour of the government. The Dilawar group was pressurised to vote for the government.”

    Anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada negated Gilani’s comments on the Dilawar Khan group and said that the group says the Opposition failed to convince them for support. The government succeeded in doing so.

    Khanzada questioned Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Dr Musadik Malik, who was part of the guest panel on the programme about his tweet where Malik questioned Gilani’s absence and had said that one vote, i.e. of Mr Gilani was missing and the bill to make Pakistan a slave of the IMF was passed. And those who made him Leader of the Opposition voted for the government.

    “It was very important that Gilani should have been part of the panel today. He is our very respected leader. But was very clear that the bill was been circulated by the government for the past 10 days and circulated amongst the members of the Senate. We were aware that the government had not placed the bill. We were already aware that the IMF was holding this session on February 2,” said Malik.

    “Before February 2, today [January 28] was the only day the government could have done something. If all members of the Opposition were present as respected Gilani Sahib says he did ask them to, we would have had the support and respect in the Senate if Gilani Sahib would have tried and shown up,” added Malik.

    On January 25, the Senate session was adjourned for Friday, January 28.

    The SBP Amendment Bill, 2021, promises complete autonomy to the central bank and places a complete restriction on the government’s borrowing from the central bank. However, the government can now borrow at a market rate from commercial banks, which will benefit private banks owned by business elites, according to the Opposition.

    The bill was passed by a majority vote. Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani then adjourned the session till January 31.

  • PML-N’s Musadik Malik questions Yusuf Raza Gilani’s absence as Senate passes SBP Amendment Bill

    PML-N’s Musadik Malik questions Yusuf Raza Gilani’s absence as Senate passes SBP Amendment Bill

    The Senate on Friday passed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Amendment Bill 2021 amid an outcry from the Opposition on suffering back-to-back defeats in the House, where it otherwise enjoys a dominating numerical strength.

    The bill was passed by the upper house with the treasury benches enjoying a one-vote lead of 43 members over the Opposition’s 42. The bill was presented by Finance Minister Senator Shaukat Tarin.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Dr Musadik Malik, taking to Twitter, said, “Leader of the Opposition Yusuf Raza Gilani is missing. One vote, i.e. of Mr Gilani, is missing and the bill to make Pakistan a slave of the IMF was passed. And those who made him Leader of the Opposition voted for the government.”

    Taking to Twitter, Gilani’s son, Kasim Gilani said his father was absent from the Senate session because he had to attend Ghulam Rabbani Khar’s Qul. “To schedule secret sessions at midnight deliberately to overlap with bereavements is a violation of all norms of our culture, politics, and decency.”

    “The government summoned the session post midnight knowing well that the Qul of Noor Rabbani Khar was scheduled for today. YRG was in Multan and would not have been able to make it to Islamabad by 10am in anyway ent and he had to attend the Qul of his long time friend, political colleague, and father of two PPP MNAs.”

    On January 25, the Senate session was adjourned for Friday, January 28.

    The SBP Amendment Bill, 2021, promises complete autonomy to the central bank and places a complete restriction on the government’s borrowing from the central bank. However, the government can now borrow at a market rate from commercial banks, which will benefit private banks owned by business elites, according to the Opposition.

    The bill was passed by a majority vote. Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani then adjourned the session till January 31.