Riaz Hussain Pirzada, a lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, opposed the decision to allow deployment of Nato forces in the tremor-affected areas, expressing his concern for the country's security.
Pakistan Peoples' Party Parliamentarians MNA Sherry Rehman objected to publication of a supplement in a leading newspaper, highlighting 'goals and policies' of President General Pervez Musharraf.
Expressing anguish over thin presence of ministers and Prime Minister's long absence from the House, another PPPP member proposed that the session be prorogued if this was the interest of the government in its proceedings.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement MNA and Parliamentary Secretary for Communications Abdul Qadir said that experts from the world should be invited to discuss the fast-changing seismic position of the country and precautions thereon.
Most of the speeches lacked substance, as the House met twice in a day. Consulting the members, Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain adjourned the sitting for 20 minutes and resumed business after Zohr Prayers.
PML (N) member Tehmina Daultana wanted to know the reasons behind not letting Mian Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif return home and participate in relief activities. She added that jailed party leader Javed Hashmi was also eager to physically contribute in relief works.
Citing observations by an Indian professor, who was awarded Nobel prize, Pirzada said that natural disasters never struck a country, where justice reigns supreme and the rulers are neither tyrannical nor usurpers.
"When we change our policies to please foreign forces, people are freely killed in mosques and Imambargahs and flout sanctity of the holy month of Ramazan by rigging nazim elections; the occurrence of such catastrophe is quite understandable."
Pirzada opposed the decision to allow deployment of Nato troops in the quake-stricken areas, saying our armed forces were quite capable of handling the situation.
"Once, deployed, is there any guarantee, they will ever pack up from here and who will ask them to do so?" he questioned amid complete silence. No minister or treasury member rose to respond to the points he raised.
Sherry Rehman assailed the publication of a supplement in a local daily and questioned if the government needed money in the first place and made an appeal to the international community then why this lavish spending of the people's money.
She proposed that the ministers' foreign visits be banned and the President House and Prime Minister Secretariat should be converted into relief centres.
The PPPP lawmaker said during her visit to many quake-hit areas, she found total chaos vis-à-vis handling and distribution of relief items, sent by as many as 123 countries and agencies.
Sherry Rehman contended that the army, enjoying very good reputation for its key role in peacekeeping missions under the banner of the UN, should have played a better role in rescue and relief operations.
She said that according to estimates, 1.1 million people had been rendered unemployed by the quake and they could be involved in the massive reconstruction process.
The PPPP member pointed out that Pakistan is the only country that has not adopted the seismic code yet, adding even India and Bangladesh had adopted it.
State Minister for Finance Omar Ayub rejected Sherry's remarks about the army and said that the armed forces were extending envious service to the quake victims.
He said that co-ordination existed between the army, civilian set-up and the volunteers and they were doing what they could for the welfare of the affectees.
PML (N) member Abid Sher Ali said that the unprecedented number of ministers had no idea about the intensity of chilly weather in the mountainous areas.
The gravity of the situation, he added, demanded that the Punjab House, Sindh House, as well NWFP and Balochistan Houses should be housed with the quake victims.
PPPP MNA Fauzia Wahab proposed that the task of heading a body for rehabilitation of the victims be given to someone who enjoys support of the government and the opposition both.
Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MNA from Fata Maulana Mairajuddin said during his visit to the affected areas, he was sad to see chaotic scenes relating to distribution of relief goods, with weak and elderly being deprived of succor.
He opined that Edhi Foundation, Al-Khidmat Foundation and some other charity organisations should be assigned the task.
Some parts of his speech were expunged, as he unleashed criticism on the government, especially on and the United States calling it a top enemy of the Muslim world.