As the PML-N – the main opposition party – submitted a requisition for a joint session of Parliament to review the coronavirus spread, Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday said the government was still asleep at a time when the entire country had been on lockdown on its own.

Announcing the decisions of the PML-N’s parliamentary party meeting on Friday, she said Prime Minister Imran Khan – who is also the health minister – should explain the situation in the Parliament.

Marriyum, who is the PML-N spokesperson, said the parliamentary party also decided to move the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the arrest of Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman, the owner and managing editor of Jang/Geo Group, by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Senior party leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha and Marriyum will submit the petition in the IHC tomorrow (Saturday).

The meeting said that the media had been attacked while ink of the IHC’s decision on the illegal use of powers by the NAB was still wet.

The participants were of the view that the arrests of media persons, repression, pressure and victimisation were a serious violation of basic human rights.

The meeting held at the opposition’s chamber in the Parliament was chaired by Abbasi, Ahsan and Rana Sanaullah.

On the other hand, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani at a meeting have decided to suspend all the parliamentary activities till March 31.

According to sources, even the meetings of standing committees would not be held during this period. However, the secretariats of both houses of the Parliament will remain open.