The National Assembly was informed on Thursday that efforts are being made for the restoration of various international routes of the Pakistan International Airlines.

Responding to a question during Question Hour, Minister for Aviation Khawaja Saad Rafique expressed the hope that the government will manage to get revived PIA’s routes for the United States and the United Kingdom this year. He said once these routes are restored then there will be no justification for the European Union to bar PIA from operating in EU countries.

Talking about the Roosevelt Hotel, Khawaja Saad Rafique said this hotel is a precious asset of the PIA that needs to be protected. He called for the operationalization of the hotel, which has been lying closed for a long time.

Responding to a calling attention notice moved by Qadir Khan Mandokhail and others, Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services Dr. Sobia Aslam Soomro assured the House that availability of life saving drugs at affordable prices will be ensured.

Meanwhile, three bills were introduced in the House on Thursday. These were “The Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2022”, “The Qanun-e-Shahadat (Amendment) Bill, 2022”, and “The Control of Narcotics Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021.”

The Chair referred the bills to the standing committees concerned.

The House passed four bills, which include “The National Metrology Institute of Pakistan Bill, 2022”, “The Public Private Partnership Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2022”, “The Iqbal Academy Pakistan Bill, 2022” and “The Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2022.”

The National Assembly also declared the seat of MNA Muhammadmian Soomro,NA-196, Jacobabad as vacant for remaining absent without leave of the House for forty consecutive days of its sittings.

The Speaker rejected Muhammadmian Soomro’s request for ex-post facto approval for grant of leave at this belated stage when motion for declaring the seat had already been tabled in the House.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly declared the seat of MNA Muhammadmian Soomro,NA-196, Jacobabad as vacant for remaining absent without leave of the House for forty consecutive days of its sittings.

The Speaker rejected Muhammadmian Soomro’s request for ex-post facto approval for grant of leave at this belated stage when motion for declaring the seat as vacant had already been tabled in the House.

Earlier, the House offered fateha for the departed souls of Pakistan Army soldiers, martyred in a suicide attack in North Waziristan.

The House will now meet on Saturday at 9 p.m.

Source: Radio Pakistan