ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Proceedings in the National Assembly remained sluggish on Thursday, with only one bill passed before a lack of quorum forced the presiding officer to adjourn the sitting until Friday morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The NA\u2019s agenda for Thursday comprised 16 items, but the sitting was adjourned midway after a PTI MNA pointed out the lack of quorum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A headcount confirmed that the required number of members was not present. Abdul Qadir Patel, who was presiding over the sitting, allowed some additional time for the quorum to be completed, but the number of MNAs present remained below the required 88. The House was subsequently adjourned until Friday morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the question hour, the demolition of houses and other struc\u00adtures in Islamabad, particularly in Sector E-12, came under discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had demolished only illegally constructed structures and houses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the shortage of graveyards was one of the major problems facing the city\u2019s administration and residents. Most private housing schemes and societies, he added, had converted plots reserved for graveyards, schools, parks and mosques into commercial properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Responding to a question, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi informed the House that Pakistan Railways had recovered more than 200,000 kanals of land previously occupied through encroachments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regarding the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project, he said Prime Min\u00adister Shehbaz Sharif would inau\u00adgurate its first phase, involving the laying of 480 kilometres of railway track between Rohri and Karachi, at an estimated cost of $2.5 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MNA Syed Rafiullah said several families in Karachi\u2019s Malir area had been rendered homeless by the ML-1 project, but had yet to be rehabilitated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During a question concerning facilities for Haj pilgrims, PTI MNA Shehryar Afridi expre\u00adssed displeasure when Parliamentary Secre\u00adtary Kesoo Mal Kheal Das responded to the query.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt would have been better if a responsible member of the treasury benches or the minister for parliamentary affairs had answered the question,\u201d Mr Afridi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr Das responded by pointing out that a Hindu minister in India also handled Haj affairs, questioning Mr Afridi\u2019s suggestion that the matter required a more responsible person to address it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr Afridi also said some private Haj organisers had made the religious obligation prohibitively exp\u00aden\u00adsive, with packages costing bet\u00adween Rs4 million and Rs5m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
State Life Insurance Company<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n After Question Hour, the National Assembly passed the Life Insurance (Nation\u00adalisation) (Amend\u00adment) Bill, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bill provides for the federal government to establish a company, to be known as State Life Insurance Company Limited, under the Companies Act, 2017 (XIX of 2017).<\/p>\n\n\n\n It states that the appointment of the company\u2019s chief executive officer and board of directors will be made in accordance with the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Act and the Companies Act, 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following the company\u2019s incorporation under the Companies Act, 2017, the federal government will issue a vesting order, to be published in the official gazette, transferring all assets, liabilities, contracts, policies, proceedings and undertakings of the existing corporation to the company on a specified date and under terms and conditions determined by the government. The corporation will stand dissolved on the effective date, according to the bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The legislation further provides that all employees and officers who have served the corporation continuously for at least one year immediately before the effective date, excluding those employed under project contracts, will be transferred to the new company on the same terms and conditions of service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their existing rights and privileges, including pension entitleme\u00adnts, post-retirement medical benefits, provident fund and gratuity, will also be protected, the bill states.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Proceedings in the National Assembly remained sluggish on Thursday, with only one bill passed before a lack of quorum forced the presiding officer to adjourn the sitting until Friday morning. The NA\u2019s agenda for Thursday comprised 16 items, but the sitting was adjourned midway after a PTI MNA pointed out the lack of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":135289,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n