The Joint Session of Parliament Wednesday passed a resolution to express solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir for their right to self-determination, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf presided over the joint sitting of the Parliament. 

PPP Senator Raza Rabbani on point of order urged the parliament to discuss terrorism resurgence on a priority basis. He also expressed his surprise that such an important issue was not on the list of debates of the parliament. 

Senator Rabbani said the rising terrorism should be discussed on a priority basis. “The country has rendered huge sacrifices throughout the war on terror that left the nation in a bloodbath and recently the Peshawar incident also left a deep wound on the face of the masses.”

He urged the house to invite all the stakeholders and armed forces to brief the parliamentarians on the state of terrorism in the country, measures taken; and policy decisions.

He also raised the issue of MNA Ali Wazir from KP. Rabbani said he was not being released despite his bail in all the cases and his production orders were also not being issued so far, he added.

Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazir Tarar responded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif already gave this direction and it was his desire to brief the house which was not possible at the moment due to his visit to Turkey.

“The apex committee’s (National Action Plan) decision would also be presented before the house,” he said, adding, “Its already in the agenda and part of our advice. It might have been a printing error,” he further replied.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Javed Abbasi said this session would continue and the agenda item on terrorism would be ensured on the agenda.

The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2022 has also been approved in the session. After the approval, now the mayor and deputy mayor of Islamabad will be elected directly by successful chairman of the union councils. 

Now, Islamabad will have 125 union councils instead of 101. 

The joint session of Parliament was adjourned till 4 pm on February 13.

Reporter: Usman Khan