Lawmakers in the National Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the incident of firing at the helicopter of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider. Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif tabled the resolution, which condemned India’s act of aggression along the Line of Control (LoC). It added that the incident of firing by Indian forces was condemnable and a clear violation of the international laws. It demanded that the government immediately form a joint committee for probe into the incident of firing. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Ali Muhammad Khan while warning against testing public sentiments said the whole nation was united on the issue of Pakistan’s sovereignty. He said that Pakistan responded well in 1965, adding that the current attack on AJK PM was an attack on Pakistan. Speaking in the House, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Khusro Bakhtiar said the government has decided to broaden the scope of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) besides accelerating its pace. Terming it a game-changer for Pakistan as well as the region, the minister said the government will invite third-party investment in the project to make it more effective. He said the previous government did not pay due attention to Gwadar, adding that the PTI government will give proper attention to this very important port. He said an oil city would be established in Gwadar. Criticizing the policies of the previous government, Khusro Bakhtiar said the current account deficit has reached an alarming figure of 18 billion dollars only due to ill-conceived policies of the previous government. He said the circular debt has climbed to a staggering Rs 583 billion. Taking part in the debate on mini-budget, PPP’s Abdul Qadir Patel said the PTI government was moving in opposite direction of the slogans it raised. He claimed that there was no difference between the PTI government and the previous regimes. He said the government had opened the door of theft by allowing the non-filers to purchase vehicles and property in the country despite its claims of removing theft and favoritism after coming into power. He regretted that no relief was announced for the taxpayers in the mini-budget. Speaking on the floor of the House, PPP leader Khursheed Shah said the suspension of the senior officer involved in stealing the wallet of a Kuwati delegation member was not enough. “In a meeting, the bag or purse of a member of the Kuwaiti delegation disappeared. It was revealed that a grade-20 officer had taken this purse which was caught on the CCTV. This is, unfortunately, the first incident in Pakistan’s 70-year history,” he said. Published in Daily Times, October 2nd, 2018.