PM Imran lauds MNAs for attending crucial joint session

The premier made special mention of MNAs attending joint sitting despite 'serious' illness

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday expressed his appreciation for several of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) MNAs for attending the joint session in parliament on Wednesday, despite them facing personal issues.

The premier took to his official Twitter handle to laud the MNAs and appreciate their passion.

“On behalf of PTI and the nation I especially want to appreciate and thank the jazba [passion] of our MNAs,” he wrote, mentioning Mohammed Kheyal Zaman, Ehsanullah Tiwana and Rahat Amanullah Bhatti, all of whom attended the session despite being ‘seriously ill’.

On behalf of PTI & the nation I esp want to appreciate & thank the jazba of our MNAs Mohammed Kheyal Zaman, Ehsanullah Tiwana & Rahat Amanullah Bhatti, all of whom, despite being seriously ill, attended jt session & of Sh Rasheed who attended despite the death of his brother.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 18, 2021

The premier also mentioned Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, who was present at the session “despite the death of his brother”.

Read Shehbaz accuses Qaiser of 'partisan' handling of joint session

During Wednesday’s session, the government and its allies pulled off a victory against the opposition during a joint sitting of parliament by succeeding in passing the bills that pave the way for holding the next general elections in the country through the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and giving around nine million overseas Pakistanis the right to cast their votes in the 2023 polls.

Surprisingly, the legislation pertaining to the electoral reforms – The Election (Amendment) Bill, 2021 – was deferred and only the bills related to using the EVMs and enabling overseas Pakistanis to cast votes were passed.