The National Assembly resumed its session at the Parliament House in Islamabad on Tuesday with Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in the chair.

The House transacted private members’ business.

The National Assembly was informed that the government is utilizing all available resources to bring down prices of the essential items in the country.

This was stated by Minister of State for Finance Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha, while responding to a calling attention notice moved by Tahira Aurangzeb and others regarding increase in the prices of edible items in the country, causing grave concern among the public.

She said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, soon after assuming his office, had announced a massive relief package to protect people from high inflation.

She said under the package 19 essential items were provided at subsidized rates through the Utility Stores network across Pakistan. She said a ten-kilogram bag of wheat flour was sold at the rate of 400 rupees and sugar at 70 rupees per kilogrammes through Utility Stores.

She said the Federal Government is also requesting provinces to contribute in this regard to provide essential items to the people at lower rates.

Presenting Consumer Price Index of the last six weeks, Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha said wheat flour and sugar prices decreased by over 17 percent and 2.5 percent respectively.

The House also offered fateha for the departed soul of former Member National Assembly Prince Mohiuddin, who had been a member of the House from Chitral.

Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali led the Fateha.

Meanwhile, three bills were introduced in the House.

These include “ The Election (Amendment) Bill, 2022”, “ The Pakistan Environmental Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and “The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2022)”.

The Chair referred the bills to the concerned standing committees of the House.

The House will now meet again at 11:30 am on Wednesday.

Source: Radio Pakistan