Parliamentary Committee on Coronavirus Monitoring to meet today

ISLAMABAD: The Parliamentary Committee on Coronavirus Monitoring will hold its first meeting today (Monday). The National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar heads a 25-member parliamentary committee that comprises members from both the Houses of the Parliament.

In the first meeting, Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh and Adviser on Commerce and Industry Abdul Razak Dawood will brief the parliamentary committee with regard to impact of coronavirus pandemic on the country’s economy and also on the measures to be taken for revival of economy.

Special Assistant to PM on Health Dr Zafar Mirza and Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal will brief the committee regarding the situation which were caused due to coronavirus and the steps taken for the relief provision to the people.

As per terms of reference (ToRs), the parliamentary committee would periodically review, monitor and oversee issues related to coronavirus disease and its impact on the economy. The parliamentary committee will also periodically review, monitor and oversee the implementation on National Plan of Action on Coronavirus with view to ensuring its expeditious implementation. The committee would appoint a sub-committee to prepare detailed ToRs and the periodical report of the committee will be presented to both the Houses of the Parliament.

Few days back, after the formation of Parliamentary Committee on Coronavirus, Asad Qaisar in an interview to a private news channel said the parliamentary committee will keep an eye on all activities on coronavirus and will take immediate action where ever it notices any dereliction of duty.

He had said that the government would put its policy before the parliamentary committee on economic issues and plan of action to take it out from the present crunch. The parliamentary committee is headed by Speaker National Assembly and comprises 12 parliamentary leaders from the National Assembly and 13 from Senate.