NA Speaker Displeased Over Unanswered Question, Directs Ministry To Ensure Officers’ Presence
ISLAMABAD, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 20th Aug, 2026) National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq expressed displeasure over the non-receipt of an answer to a question and directed the concerned ministry to ensure the presence of responsible officers during Question Hour.
Unanswered Question
During Question Hour, the Speaker took notice of the non-receipt of an answer to Question No. 95, raised by MNA Muhammad Ilyas Chaudhry. The mover stated that the question had been pending for the past five months.
Concerns Over Absence
The Speaker noted that it was the 29th session of the National Assembly, and the question had remained unanswered since the 26th session. He expressed concern over the absence of any official from the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination in the House. Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar also considered the situation unfortunate.
Emphasizing Accountability
The Speaker highlighted the recurring issue of unanswered questions, expressing concern over the absence of representatives from concerned ministries during Question Hour. He questioned how the House could provide answers to members when ministries failed to furnish the required information.
"If you are not taking this business serious, we are not taking Question Hour," he stated. "This is not appropriate."
Directives and Suggestions
Addressing Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, the Speaker urged him to monitor the replies when questions were printed and ensure that relevant officials attended the proceedings. He directed that representatives from the concerned ministry’s Secretary, Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and Section Officer be asked to attend the sitting and remain present until the proceedings concluded.
The Speaker also suggested that Additional Secretaries could be exempted where necessary if Joint Secretaries were assigned the responsibility. However, he emphasized that the absence of responsible officers from the House was unacceptable. He advised MNA Muhammad Ilyas Chaudhry to move a privilege motion if the concerned ministry failed to respond to the question.
