ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly session will be held on Monday to discuss the coronavirus pandemic after lawmakers agreed on the standard operating procedures in a meeting, said Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Talking to media after the meeting of parliamentary leaders chaired by Minister for National Food Security Fakhar Imam on Tuesday, Qureshi said that it has been decided to convene the huddle at 3 pm amid strict precautionary measures.
The committee after elaborate discussion and taking into account the suggestions of the members and parliamentary leaders recommended for restricting to three hours the parliamentary debate in a session, on the measures taken by the government for curtailing the spread of COVID-19.
The committee recommended that no non-legislative agenda be taken in the session.
As far as the attendance of the members was concerned, the committee recommended that it would be prerogrative of the parliamentary leadership of the political parties to manage the attendance of their members.
It was also recommended that parliamentarians and staff of the secretariat will be tested for coronavirus ahead of the session.
While keeping in view the entry of an extensive number of visitors to the Parliament House during sessions, it was recommended that entry of visitors in the Parliament House and Parliament Lodges will be restricted, however, ministers may be advised to bring only one staff member with them.
The committee further recommended that Parliamentary Reporters Association (PRA) being the representative body of the parliamentary reporters may be asked to decide the number of journalists to cover the proceedings of the sittings of the assembly session.
The committee also decided to recommend for plying special flights from Karachi and Quetta to Islamabad during the session.
The committee would submit its recommendations to the National Assembly speaker enabling him to make appropriate directions to the government for holding the session of the assembly.
