F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday started debate on President’s address to the joint session of the parliament.
Initiating debate, Leader of the Opposition Syed Khurshid Shah said supremacy of the parliament should be ensured and all institutions should perform their duties within their constitutional domain.
He said it was not a good domain that the judiciary starts performing functions of the executive.
He said supremacy of the parliament can be ensured if all parliamentarian including Prime Minster and Minsters give adequate time to the proceedings of the two houses.
The Leader of the Opposition regretted that the country was facing a number of challenges on the external front but they are not getting the required attention.
Syed Khurshid Shah said Pakistan has all the potential to become a developed country provide its resources are exploited judiciously and properly.
The National Assembly was informed that an estimated six hundred thousand cases of Polio related paralysis and death have been prevented in the country due to consistent efforts of the government.
Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services Farhana Qamar told the house that Polio eradication is being tackled as a National Public Health emergency by a task force led by the Prime Minster.
The Parliamentary Secretary said number of polio cases have steadily declined from highs of 306 in 2014 to just 8 last year while no polio case has been reported during current year.
Minister of Housing and Works Akram Khan Durrani informed the house that progress on Housing schemes in Bhara Kahu and Thallian in Islamabad is held up due to interventions by courts, NAB and Public Accounts Committee.
Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf told the house that intending Hajj pilgrims are airlifted on fifty-fifty basis by PIA and Saudi Airlines under an agreement.
