ISLAMABAD      -     The parliamentary party of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Wednesday decided to make the parliament more functional by bringing public-interest legislations with the hope that the protest sit-in of opposition parties in Islamabad would end soon amicably and with a mutual agreement.

The ruling party’s meeting was held at the Parliament House for a second time in less than a week under the chair of Prime Minister Imran Khan amid on-going protest “Azadi March” led by JUI-F.

Imran addressing the members of the National Assembly said that the talks of government’s negotiation team were under way with the opposition and assured them that there was no need to be worried as the matter is being resolved amicably.

With the opposition mounting its criticism on the ruling party for introducing all legislation through presidential ordinances, the meeting also decided that parliament would be made more functional and vibrant by bringing all legislation through it.

The opposition in the Senate on Tuesday had protested against government’s move of enforcing all laws through presidential ordinances and then for using delaying tactics to lay these before the Parliament what it said the government’s “policy of rule through ordinances.”

The PM also advised the participants to ensure their presence in the sessions of both the houses of the parliament.

Following reservations of MNAs for not getting development funds, the meeting decided to appoint Pervez Khattak as head of steering committee on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Achievement Programme mandated to distribute funds because of the ailment of Special Assistant to the PM on Political Affairs Naeemul Haq who was earlier convener of the committee. The committee earlier formed is responsible for approving small development schemes recommended by each member of the National Assembly for his/her respective constituency.

In February this year, the PM had approved discretionary funding of Rs24 billion in the name of SDGs Achievement Programme to execute small development schemes recommended by MNAs.

In the parliamentary party, PM told the participants that the Sindh government had failed to control the ever-increasing bad state of affairs of Karachi, and he would soon be visiting the metropolitan city.

On the complaints of lawmakers about rising inflation, the PM was quoting as saying that they should stand by him in fight against inflation and hoarding.

Some of the members of the ruling party showed their reservations over the way the government disbanded Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) through a presidential ordinance. PM was quoted as saying in the meeting that some people had made the health sector as business and they were members of the council besides running their own medical colleges. PM vowed to bring reforms in the health sector and said that strict punishments would be introduced for those people who used to play with the lives of human beings.

In October 2019, President Dr Arif Alvi had promulgated the Pakistan Medical Commission Ordinance, 2019 which dissolved the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC).

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza briefed the meeting on the dissolution of PMDC while PM himself defended the ordinance saying that this has been promulgated to bring reforms in health sector. PM said taht some people were trying to mislead the people on PMDC issue and added that a system in public sector hospitals would be introduced on the pattern of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital. He said that doctors were in the habit of giving more time to their private clinics instead of doing duties in government run hospitals. He ruled put the possibility of privatizing the hospitals and said that only forms were being introduced. A lawmaker of the ruling party got reprimand by the PM when tried to talk during the briefing.