Qureshi sees broad-based consensus
RECORDER REPORT
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday sought a broad-based consensus on laws related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), national security and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Qureshi chaired the second meeting of the parliamentary committee on legislative business, which remained inconclusive as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) questioned the legal status of the committee.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Qureshi said that the opposition had sought some more time to study the drafts of various laws, including related to the FATF and the NAB.
He said that the PTI had already shared its point of view in writing with the opposition, and it had also asked the opposition to submit their points of view in writing to the panel.
He said that the government expected that the opposition would look into the matter with an open heart and after response received from the opposition, the matters would be discussed by sitting together.
He said that laws against corruption were not aimed at harassing anyone unfairly but those who looted the country ruthlessly should be brought to book.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Law Barrister Farogh Naseem, Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood, Federal Minister for Human Rights Shirin Mazari, Federal Minister for Industry Hammad Azhar, Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar, Federal Minister for Housing Tariq Bashir Cheema, Advisor on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan, Advisor on Accountability Shehzad Akbar, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Syed Naveed Qamar, Senator Shireen Rehman of the PPP, Ahsan Iqbal, Javed Abbasi of the PML-N, and other members of the committee.
The next meeting of the parliamentary committee will be held in the Parliament today (Tuesday) at 6pm.
Meanwhile, the PML-N senior leader and former prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, questioned the legal status of the parliamentary committee, saying that the committee was constituted in violation of the Constitution.
