Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Minister for Aviation Division Ghulam Sarwar Khan informed the National Assembly on Friday that seven thousand stranded Pakistanis will be brought back home before Eid.
While responding to various points raised by the parliamentarians, Ghulam Sarwar Khan said thousands of stranded Pakistanis, including students, workers, members of Tableeghi Jamaat, and pilgrims, from across the globe have been repatriated. He said Pakistani prisoners from Oman and the United Arab Emirates were brought back free of cost. He said Aviation Division operated 181 inbound flights and took over 25,000 passengers to their destinations in 27 countries. He said around 250 students from Wuhan and China will be repatriated through special flight on Monday.
Taking part in the discussion, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Amir Dogar said the government should announce support prices for agricultural produce. He said seeds and fertilizers should be provided on subsidized rates. He said giving priority to agriculture is vital to uplift economy of the country.
Amir Dogar said health workers and members of district administrations, who are on the forefront in dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic, should be awarded civil awards.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal said serious and collective efforts are needed to prevent spread of the Coronavirus. He said the government should have evolved a comprehensive policy to combat COVID-19. He said chartered planes should be dispatched to repatriate stranded Pakistanis from various countries.
Ahsan Iqbal proposed that local governments in Punjab should immediately be restored and the federal government should declare education emergency, reduce petroleum, electricity, and gas prices to provide relief to the common people in wake of COVID-19.
In his remarks, Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Babar Awan said no bill or draft to amend 18th amendment is under consideration.
Giving historic background of constitutional amendments, he said several amendments were made in the constitution in past as it is permitted under the Constitution. He, however, said no amendments repugnant to divine laws, enunciated in the Holy Quran and Hadith, can be made.
The Adviser said the government will welcome reasonable suggestions from the Opposition to amend NAB law.
He also assured the House that recommendations of the National Assembly will be sent to relevant quarters. He said a special session before the Budget Session of the House will be convened to finalize recommendations of the Parliament to combat Corona. The Adviser said the government undertook intensive consultation process over the issue of Covid-19. He said President Dr. Arif Alvi took Ulema and Mashaikh into confidence as a result of which a roadmap was prepared to ensure social distancing and other precautionary measures in mosques and during other religious activities.
Participating in the discussion, Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Dr. Fehmida Mirza said a uniformed national policy should be evolved under cooperative federalism to combat Covid-19.