NA to hold session on Corona from 11th

By Shakeel Ahmed

ISLAMABAD: Federal government on Tuesday took a formal decision to call a parliamentary session after the opposition and incumbent government parties mutually agreed on the undertaking, newsmen reported.
Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs, Babar Awan released a video statement earlier in the day to confirm the development.
A national assembly session will be called this Monday, May 11 at 3 p.m, revealed Babar Awan.
An all parties committee meeting arrived at the decision prior, the main agenda of the session will be the ongoing global and national issue of the coronavirus pandemic, added Babar Awan.
Awan also said that their will be no further topics of discussion for this special session and the discussion will be held only on the topic of coronavirus.
A summary of the session being called will be sent to the President of Pakistan, Arif Alvi for approval tomorrow (Wednesday).
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar on Tuesday said that he was not aware of any talks over any changes in the 18th constitutional amendment, media reported.
“It may be possible that any talks are ongoing on changes to be made in the 18th amendment but I am not aware of these talks on the matter,” he said adding that he did not know on which basis Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed claimed regarding ongoing talks over changes to be made in the constitutional amendment.
The federal minister said that they were in touch with the opposition parties over proposed changes to be made in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law. “We are also in touch with them regarding the National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting,” he said while divulging details of his contact with the Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah on the matter. On April 27, declaring ‘18th Amendment’ a step in the right direction, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar on Monday said that some flaws left in the constitutional amendment.
Talking to a private news channel, Asad Umar said that a flaw pertaining to administrative matters between the federal and provincial governments must be removed. He said that even provinces have realized the flaws. The minister clarified that PTI believed in devolution of powers to the provinces, adding that discussion on 18th Amendment does not mean usurping the rights of the provinces.