The National Assembly was informed on Wednesday that over 1000 Pakistanis have been safely evacuated from conflict-ridden Sudan.

This was stated by Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Syed Hussain Tariq Speaking on a point of order in the session on Wednesday which held in Islamabad with Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf in the chair.

He said Pakistan’s Mission in Sudan is fully active in helping Pakistani nationals to reach safer places. He assured the House that our mission will remain in Sudan till safe repatriation of the last Pakistani citizen from there.

The House commended the services and role of Pakistan’s Mission in Sudan in helping the countrymen.

Speaking on a point of order, Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar has urged all the political forces to stand united to keep the political process and the parliament going. He said politics is the art of possibilities and in that backdrop the ruling coalition started a dialogue with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. He said multiple rounds of talks were held and we made headway on various counts, but there was a stalemate on the issue of the date for holding elections. He said the ruling coalition showed maximum flexibility as it believes that issues can only be sorted out through dialogue.

The Chairman Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly has summoned the Supreme Court’s Principal Accounting Officer to furnish the record of the apex court’s funds for the last ten years by 16th of this month.

This was informed by PAC Chairman Noor Alam, while speaking on the floor of the House today.

He said the committee has also sought the record of salaries and plots obtained by judges of the apex court, including the chief justice of the Supreme Court. Besides, a similar record too has been demanded from the President, the Prime Minister, federal ministers, the Chairman of the Senate and the speaker of the National Assembly.

Noor Alam Khan said the committee is also going to acquire the record of the dam funds collected by former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar.

The House passed a unanimous resolution, affirming the obligation of the government to safeguard and uphold press freedom against any form of censorship and undue interference. The resolution moved by Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto recommended that the government should protect freedom of press from censorship and violence and promote its full realization in accordance with its international human rights obligations, essential for functioning of democratic societies and vital for protection of other human rights. The House recognized the critical role of journalists and media professionals in providing accurate, timely and impartial information to the public and the need to protect them from violence, intimidation and harassment. The lawmakers resolved to take effective measures to ensure the safety and security and independence of journalists to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for the protection of press freedom and to promote pluralistic, diverse and vibrant media environment in Pakistan.

The House also passed “The Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill, 2023” which was moved by Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar.

The House will now meet tomorrow (Thursday) at 11 a.m.

Source: Radio Pakistan