Pakistan’s National Assembly Declines Negotiations with Terrorists, Addresses Economic Policies

Islamabad, The National Assembly was informed on Friday that the government will not engage in dialogue with terrorist groups, reinforcing a commitment to a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, in response to a calling attention notice, articulated the government’s unwavering stance against terrorism and detailed ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist infrastructure across the country.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Minister Tarar also addressed another calling attention notice concerning the pricing of petroleum products, linking them to international market trends. He emphasized the government’s efforts to alleviate the financial burden on citizens, noting that the government would absorb forty-five billion rupees in sales tax and petroleum levies over the next fortnight to mitigate price impacts. Additionally, the session saw legislative activity with the introduction of the National University of Technology Amendment Bill by the Minister for Science and Technology Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and the Apostille Ordinance 2024 by Minister Tarar.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar also took the floor to express regret over the conduct of Sunni Ittehad Council members during President Asif Ali Zardari’s recent parliamentary address, highlighting inappropriate actions in the presence of diplomats. He underscored positive economic developments reported by global financial institutions and asserted the government’s resolve to protect its foreign policy from internal attacks.

The session concluded with the suspension of two assembly members, Jamshed Ahmed Dasti and Muhammad Iqbal Khan, for the remainder of the session due to misconduct during the presidential address. The assembly is scheduled to reconvene on Monday at five pm.