Today, both the National Assembly and the Senate will convene, with the Senate meeting starting at 3 PM and the National Assembly at 6 PM.
The agenda for the sessions has been unveiled, highlighting key discussion points. The National Assembly’s session will revolve around a 9-point agenda, which includes a proposed amendment bill for the establishment of a Legal Aid and Justice Authority. Notably, the much-anticipated 26th constitutional amendment bill is absent from the initial agenda but is expected to be introduced later as a supplementary item during the proceedings.
The National Assembly session will commence with traditional rituals, including Tilawat, Hadith, Naat, and the national anthem, followed by a separate question-and-answer session.
Significant items on the agenda feature a Calling Attention Notice submitted by Syed Naveed Qamar, Syed Rafiullah, Abdul Qadir Patel, Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, and Izbal Zehri. They are urging the Minister for Finance and Revenue to address public concerns regarding alleged large-scale misappropriation in General Sales Tax collection. The assembly will also address legislative matters, with Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for Law and Justice, moving to consider the Legal Aid and Justice Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which aims to update the existing Legal Aid and Justice Authority Act of 2020.
Furthermore, the assembly will continue its motion of thanks for the President’s address to both houses on April 18, 2024. Matters under Rule 18, not related to Points of Order, may also be raised during the session. Additionally, a second Calling Attention Notice will be presented by Ms. Sofia Saeed Shah, Ms. Nikhat Shakeel Khan, Muhammad Moin Aamer Pirzada, and Syed Waseem Hussain regarding the urgent issue of non-payment of pensionary benefits to retired Radio Pakistan employees. The session aims to tackle several significant public and legislative concerns.
