MPC demands joint session of parliament to deal with Covid-19 outbreak

A multi-party conference (MPC), sponsored by Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) demanded the joint session of the parliament to thrash out a strategy to fight the Covid-19 outbreak.

The Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) organized the MPC through a video link and its provincial head Sikandar Hayat Khan presided over the meeting, here on Saturday.

Senator Maulana Ataur Rahman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl), Senator Mushtaq Ahmad of Jamaat-e-Islami, Amir Muqam of PML-N, Humayun Khan and Faisal Karim Kundi of PPP, Arbab Tahir of Awami National Party, Mukhtiar Bacha of National Party Pakhtunkhwa Wahdat, Shakil Wahidullah of Mazdoor Kisan Party, Akhunzada Haider Zaman of Awami Workers Party addressed the meeting through the video link.

QWP provincial General Secretary Hashim Babar, Senior Vice-Chairman Tariq Ahmad Khan, provincial Vice-Chairman Adnan Wazir were also present on the occasion.

Welcoming the participants, Sikandar Sherpao said that the government should have built consensus to address this issue, however, there was no coordination among the centre and the provincial governments. The QWP leader demanded of the government to waive the utility bills and increase the amount from Rs 3,000 to Rs 15,000.

Amir Muqam said the prime minister was not willing to take input from the opposition. He said the doctors and the paramedics, who were real heroes, were not being provided the personal protective equipment (PPEs) and thus were exposed to the coronavirus.

The JUI-F leader said that the role of the parliament should not be ignored and a way out should be found to hold a joint session of the parliament as he believed the rulers did not have the vision and the ability to cope with the prevailing situation. He also demanded the release of prisoners involved in petty crimes.

Humayun Khan said that the government should take steps to prevent the Afghan refugees from getting infected by launching an awareness campaign. He also demanded the government to conduct the screening of the patients and ensuring transparency in the distribution of the relief goods.