Joint sitting likely to see fireworks tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: The two houses of parliament, when they assemble for a joint sitting tomorrow (Tuesday), will witness fireworks over the superior judiciary’s conduct in the backdrop of arguments by legal community and PDM parties for exclusion of two judges and formation of a full court of the apex court in the ongoing suo motu hearing on elections in Punjab and KP.

Sources said Federal Minister and parliamentary group leader of the PMLN, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, has set the tone for the members of the ruling coalition through his address in the National Assembly on Friday.

They said the PPP intended to play a proactive role in putting a check on various institutions “which have been acting recklessly.”

The PMLN, JUI and other allies will stand by the position which PPP Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had taken on Sunday in ensuring the supremacy of democracy and parliament.

Parliamentary sources told The News here on Sunday that PTI members of the Senate would attend its sitting. They had boycotted the joint sitting during its ongoing session. The Leader of the Opposition in Senate, Dr. Shezad Waseem, wasn’t available for comments about his group’s possible role in the joint sitting.

It would be an eventful day tomorrow since the banking court would also hear a case against Imran Khan and it has already made it mandatory for him to attend the hearing.

In the meanwhile, the National Assembly will meet today (Monday) where some more stalwarts of the ruling alliance would express their views about the justice system. The National Assembly will transact business related to legislation. It is understood that the interior minister would respond to a call-attention notice to be tabled by JUI members Ms. Aliya Kamran, Maulana Salahuddin Ayubi, Maulana Muhammad Jamaluddin and a PTI member Ms. Asiya Azeem. They will be drawing the attention of the minister to an upsurge in crimes in Islamabad, particularly those against women. Sources also pointed out that a discussion on the motion moved by Federal Minister Murtaza Javed Abbasi is also on the agenda, which would extend thanks to the president for his address to both the Houses of Parliament that had assembled together on 6th October, 2022. Sources said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to attend the joint sitting. He didn’t attend the National Assembly during its ongoing session and also remained away when the house adopted the supplementary Finance Bill.