Amid political turmoil: National Assembly to meet today

Will take up ‘matters other than points of order’ apart from routine legislative matters

ISLAMABAD:

The lower house of parliament is going to take up routine legislative matters as well as ‘matters other than points of order’ in its session to be held today (Monday).

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s marches, Operation Zarb-e- Azb, deployment of armed forces in Islamabad, as well as the overall performance of the government, will be among the issues debated. The government will also take the house into confidence over its efforts for rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from North Waziristan Agency.

An MP and member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) hinted that after speeches of the opposition and parliamentary leaders, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan will take the lead again and will come down hard on the PTI, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Dr Qadri for joint efforts against the government.

He said Nisar would also explain the government’s move to call up troops in the capital city. Earlier, Khursheed Shah, the main opposition leader, had demanded a joint session on this issue.

In the routine proceedings, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar will introduce two bills—to further amend the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947 [The Foreign Exchange Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2014] and bill regarding repealing of the Equity Participation Fund Ordinance, 1970 [The Equity Participation Fund (Repeal) Bill, 2014.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmed will lay on the table an authenticated copy of President Mamnoon Hussain’s address and he will move a motion which reads “This House expresses its deep gratitude to the President of Pakistan for his address to both Houses assembled together on June 2, 2014”.

The proceedings also include the calling attention notice of MNA Nighat Parveen Mir, who wants to discuss ‘a matter of urgent public importance regarding payment of Benevolent Fund equal to only one Basic Pay instead of three years basic pay to the government servants at the time of their retirement – a matter which is ‘causing grave concern amongst the public’.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th,2014.