The Senate and the National Assembly will meet separately on Monday (today) with a heavy agenda to be discussed in both the Houses. The Lower House of the Parliament will meet at 3 p.m. whereas the Upper House at 4 p.m. The basic agenda of the National Assembly is to debate on the maiden speech of President Asif Ali Zardari besides discussing economic issues and the earthquake in Balochistan.
The first sitting of the NA would soon be adjourned till next day to mourn the death of ANP senior parliamentarian Abdul Mateen Khan, who died of cardiac arrest on October 30. As per rules, the House would be adjourned after offering Fateha for the departed soul, the government would only move a motion to start debate on President Asif Ali Zardari's maiden address to the parliament.
The Senate session has been requisitioned by the opposition to discuss some important issues including government's plan to seek aid package from International Monetary Fund (IMF) on top of its agenda. The Upper House will also continue the debate on the President's speech, which was suspended in the last session by proroguing the House to express sympathy with the victims of the earthquake in Balochistan.
The other issues are privatisation of national assets including Qadirpur gas field and sale of 26 percent shares of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP). The opposition also submitted adjournment motion in Senate to debate on the privatisation of Gadirpur gas field terming anti-workers attempt against the national interest.
Before the sessions, separate meetings of all the major parliamentary parties would be held in different committee rooms of the Parliament. Meetings of the advisory committees of both the Houses would also be held to set the agenda for the sessions in both the Houses.
It is learnt that Senate's session would be held for only three to four days to dispose off the opposition's agenda whereas the National Assembly session is likely to continue till November 20. On the special directives of the interior ministry, special security arrangements have been made in and around the Parliament House keeping in view the security concern.