Lackluster NA continues debating Peshawar tragedy

ISLAMABAD:

The Peshawar tragedy continued to dominate the proceedings of a lackluster National Assembly on Friday on the third day running, with only 28 lawmakers attending the session.

The session chaired by Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf continued despite the house lacking the required quorum to discuss the national tragedy.

Naz Baloch, a member of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), while participating in the discussion on the tragedy, strongly condemned the incident.

However, she took the opportunity to slam the leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for “creating chaos in the entire country”, and not showing up to parliament for 10 months. She mentioned how they had started “crying” when their resignations were accepted.

Salahuddin Ayubi, a member of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), while participating in the discussion, said that it is unfair to put the debris of terrorism in Pakistan on someone else.

“We need unity and consensus. Peace in Pakistan and Afghanistan is connected to each other,” he said.

During the meeting, the National Assembly (NA) also approved the Pakistan Maritime Zones Bill, 2021.

Asiya Azeem raised the issue of tightening the security of district courts and the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

“There are family courts, and we cannot afford another accident,” she said, adding that these courts should be transferred from there immediately.
On this, the speaker issued orders to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Javed Abbasi to look into the matter.