Coronavirus outbreak: NA speaker, Senate chairman discuss creation of parliamentary committee

ISLAMABAD: Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser and Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani on Saturday discussed the situation arising out of the coronavirus outbreak and the early formation of the Parliamentary Committee, reported The News.

Qaisar while speaking about the formation of an oversight panel comprising members of the National Assembly and the Senate said that the committee should be formed at the earliest.

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He added the purpose of setting up a Parliamentary Committee was to take steps to oversee the measures taken by the government to prevent the spread of the virus. Qaiser added that the committee shall give its recommendations to the government for further improvement.

It would also look into the economic challenges posed to Pakistan’s economy and give its recommendations to the government, the speaker added.

Sanjrani lauded the move and said the cases had been reported from all over the country thus it was incumbent upon the political leadership to jointly strategise for curbing the spread. 

He added that with the help of Almighty Allah the entire political leadership would be able to prevent the outbreak of the virus.

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Sanjrani said the Senate would send names of members to the Assembly Secretariat soon. "It is our social responsibility to take precautionary measures," he said, adding that citizens, members of Parliament, employees should avoid unnecessary gatherings.

Interior Minister Ijaz Shah who later met Qaiser to discuss the situation in the country, praised the Speaker for forging a unified stand of all the political leadership in time of crisis. 

Shah also briefed the Speaker about the steps taken by the government, saying the nation was fully prepared to deal with the crisis.

Pakistan has reported more than 640 cases in the country with three deaths.