Pakistan
Tomorrow's joint parliament session postponed, Fawad Ch says
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said on Wednesday a joint session of the parliament scheduled for tomorrow had been postponed.
The government had convened session in order to pass the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance (Amendment) Bill and electoral reforms bill among other legislation items.
In a statement on Twitter, the minister said National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser would hold talks with the Opposition over electoral reforms.
"Electoral reforms are the country's future and we, with the best of intentions, are trying to develop a consensus on this. In this regard, [the speaker] has been tasked to hold talks with the Opposition so that a unanimously agreed upon electoral reform bill can be presented," he said.
The information minister said the session has been postponed in the hope that the Opposition would consider the government's proposal seriously and work towards making a unanimously agreed-upon plan of action.
"In case this does not happen, we will still not step back from electoral reforms," he added.
The minister made no mention of when the parliamentary session would instead be called.
Right before the announcement, Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed lawmakers of the government and its allies, stressing the need for introducing electoral reforms.
The prime minister told the lawmakers that the voting in the joint parliamentary session should be considered jihad, as it was not for his personal benefit, it was for the country.