ISLAMABAD - The government in Thursday’s proceedings passed ‘The Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Bill, 2018’ from the National Assembly aimed to combat smuggling of migrants.

The treasury benches with majority vote passed the bill with an aim to prevent and combat smuggling of migrants. “Since smuggling of migrants involves multiple international jurisdictions, cooperation between agencies within and among countries is necessary,” says the bill, mentioning specific punishment for the people engaged in the inhuman crime. The act also ensured protection of the rights of smuggled migrants, according to the bill. The clause related to ‘Punishment of smuggling of migrants’ says: “Whoever intentionally engages in or attempts to engage in the smuggling of migrants shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to five years but which shall not be less than three years and with fine up to one million rupees,”

MQM-P MNA STAGE WALKOUT OVER FLOOR-CROSSING ISSUE

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) MNAs staged a walkout from the proceedings of the house over silence of concerned authority for not taking action against MNAs involved in floor-crossing. “Lawmakers are blatantly ‘crossing the floor’ in violation of rules and procedure but no action has been taken so far,” said MQM-P’s MNA Ali Raza Abidi on a point of order. “Some MQM-P members have resigned from the party but still they are enjoying the status of members Parliament,” he said and staged a walkout from the proceedings with his party members.

FORMER PM JAMALI ASKS TO PERMIT NAWAZ

AND DAUGHTER TO TRAVEL ABROAD

Former prime minister Mir Zafar Jamali on a point of order said that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Marriyam Nawaz should be given proper permission to go abroad on humanitarian basis to meet Begum Kulssom Nawaz Sharif.  Jamali also strongly criticized the newly-introduced ‘tax amnesty scheme’. “President in his remarks had expressed extreme abhorrence from corruption but at the same time he signed the ordinance of tax amnesty scheme,” he said. He also criticised the PML-N and PPP-P members to deliberate upon the matter of upcoming caretaker Prime Minister.

PPP’s Nafeesa Shah, responding to Jamali, expressed displeasure over the remarks of former prime minister. She said that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan and opposition leader Khursheed Shah were deliberating upon upcoming caretaker Prime Minister under the constitution.

MQM-P MNA THREATENS GOVT TO

RETURN ‘SITARA-I-IMTIAZ’

MQM-P’ MNA Khwaja Sohail Mansor on a point of order strongly criticising the tax amnesty scheme threatened the government to return ‘Sitara-i-Imtiaz’ conferred on him in reaction.

“I will return the Sitara-i-Imtiaz conferred upon me being the nation’s highest tax payer in the country but the tax amnesty scheme is an insult to tax payers,” he said, mentioning this scheme will adversely affect the common man.

Capt(Retd) Safdar ACCUSED OF PANAMA CASE:

PML-N’s MNA Capt(Retd) Muhammad Safdar also stunned other lawmakers with his remarks when he introduced himself in a different style at the start of his point of order. “I Capt(Retd) Muhammad Safdar accused of Panama case wants to speak on an issue,” PML-N MNA said, mentioning that he was just returning from the courts.

Responding to the concerns, PML-N’s MNA Capt(Retd) Muhammad Safdar asked Khwaja Sohail Mansor not to return his award and become part of the committee on the amnesty scheme.

NA SPEAKER gives a NOVEL RULING

The house witnessed a novel ruling of its kind by the Speaker National Assembly. PTI’s Shireen Mazari passed a comment on a point of order against the PML-N’s lawmakers for interrupting her during the speech. “PML-N women lawmakers do nothing but interrupt me with their ‘Chon Chon’ (Muttering). Her remarks visibly annoyed the PML-N women MNAs.  Controlling the messy situation, the Speaker NA Ayaz Sadiq in a lighter vein rushed to rule “the women do not make ‘Chon Chon’ (mutter)”.  A treasury benches’ MNA Afzal Dhandala at fag end of proceedings, laid ‘anti-terrorism (amendment) ordinance, 2018’. While, Minister for Education and Professional Training Baligh-ur-Rehman laid before the house ‘The Institute of Science and Technology Bahawalpur Bill, 2018’.