Consensus across political parties imperative for introducing reforms: NA speaker

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser Tuesday said the consensus across all political parties was imperative especially on the floor of the house to steer the country out of socioeconomic challenges.

He said issues like electoral reforms, judicial reforms, trade with India and economic woes must be deliberated in lower house of the parliament and the role of opposition in highlighting these challenges was of vital importance.

He expressed these views in a meeting with Federal Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain who called on him here.

Asad Qaiser remarked that both opposition and government benches could develop consensus to introduce policy reforms in the best interest of the masses.

Speaker Asad Qaiser also said the country had been facing multiple challenging issues and it needed in-depth deliberation especially at the NA floor.

He also invited the opposition benches to have full length discussion especially on national and international issues.

He said the role of opposition benches was inevitable in that regard.

The federal minister appreciated the unbiased role of speaker in the proceedings of the house and said consensus on national issues was imperative especially in the parliament.

Meanwhile, Speaker Asad Qaiser also invited the opposition benches to have a floor of the house for unlimited days to deliberate upon national issues like electoral reforms, judicial reforms, trade with India, and the issue of State Bank of Pakistan during his address to district bar association Swabi.

He also remarked that the resolution of socioeconomic issues faced by the country required political consensus.

He said the welfare of the public depended upon initiatives taken by the public representatives in the house.

He said the NA was the only forum to bring reforms and lead the country on the path of development.

Asad Qaiser said access to justice was the basic right of every one and he emphasized on the lawyers community to play their role for rule of law in the country.