Daily Times

Opposition lawmakers in National Assembly on Monday demanded that the government disclose the names of those who have been found involved in the recent wheat and sugar crisis.

As the session started, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif demanded that the government constitute a parliamentary committee to probe wheat and sugar crises. The people are suffering heavily while the bureaucrats are not interested in resolving the matter quickly, he said, and suggested that it will be better to get the matter investigated by elected representatives.

Supporting Kh Asif, PML-N leader Rana Tanveer said the prime minister at a press conference had claimed that he knew the names of the people involved in the artificial crises of wheat and sugar.

In response, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Prime Minister Imran Khan has already taken notice and constituted a committee comprising senior officials to investigate the matter”. “The committee report will be presented in the House soon. If the opposition is not satisfied, the matter might be handed over to a parliamentary committee,” he said, and advised the opposition to wait for report of the committee.

An amended bill to further modify the Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) Act, 1974, was, meanwhile, presented and passed in the National Assembly. The draft legislation, The Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) (Amendment) Bill, 2020, was tabled in the Lower House by State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan. He said each parliamentarian can use 25 air tickers in one year. Previously, each parliamentarian was allowed to solely use the air tickets, however the amendment will permit the lawmaker’s family members also to utilize the facility.

Khan said the number of air tickets will remain to be same in a year nor any expenses will be increased, whereas a lawmaker can also avail refund of the unused air tickets.

Interior Minister Ijaz Shah introduced a bill to regulate the registration, regulation and facilitation of charities in the Islamabad Capital Territory under the Islamabad Capital Territory Charities Registration, Regulation and Facilitation Bill, 2020. The interior minister also introduced a bill further to amend the Pakistan Arms Ordinance, 1965 to the extent of Islamabad Capital Territory The Pakistan Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

The National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution condemning attacks by Hindu extremists on peaceful protestors in India, especially in New Delhi. The resolution moved by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan condemned the ongoing communal violence against Muslim. It urged the government of Pakistan to raise the matter with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and UN Security Council to compel India to ensure security of Muslims and other minorities.