Islamabad:Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman strongly protested the absence of ministers and senior officials during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance held on Sunday.

Speaking during the meeting, she said that important committee sessions were continuing after the budget, but the absence of relevant officials was disappointing. She questioned how committee members could receive answers to their queries when neither a minister nor the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue was present.

Sherry Rehman said that although the meeting had been convened on a Sunday, responsible officials failed to attend. She remarked that committee members had also sacrificed their Sunday to fulfill their responsibilities and expected the same commitment from government representatives.

In protest against the absence of ministers, Sherry Rehman staged a walkout from the committee meeting. Shortly afterward, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb arrived at the session.

The senator also highlighted difficulties being faced by shopkeepers and the business community, stating that online payment systems and internet services were experiencing serious disruptions. She called for immediate attention to the issue and questioned which authority was responsible for resolving problems related to online payments and internet connectivity.

Sherry Rehman further claimed that internet services had remained disrupted across Islamabad for the past four days, adversely affecting businesses and the general public.