Pak Parliament holds joint session to hurriedly pass 4 bills amid opposition protest

Islamabad, Jan 24 (PTI) Pakistan Parliament on Friday briefly held its joint session to hurriedly pass four bills amidst protest by the opposition lawmakers from jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party.

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq presided over the joint session of the Senate and the National Assembly.

Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan presented the Trade Organisations Amendment Bill 2021 and the Imports and Exports Regulation Amendment Bill 2023, both of which were approved.

Senator Manzoor Kakar introduced the National Excellence Institute Bill 2024, which was passed, along with the National Institute of Technology Bill 2023.

The session lasted a total of 18 minutes, during which four bills were passed in just nine minutes.

The joint session was adjourned until February 12 after it passed the four bills.

The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf members requested the right to speak but the speaker denied the microphone to the opposition leaders, prompting protests. In reaction, the opposition members chanted slogans.

As protests and sloganeering intensified, the proceedings were severely disrupted, prompting the speaker to wear headphones to continue the session.

Prominent figures, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, another former premier Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, attended the joint session. PTI SH GSP GSP

Source: PTI