ISLAMABAD, Sep 7 (APP): National Assembly (NA) Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Wednesday took serious notice of malicious media campaign about the parliamentary delegation’s recent visit to Canada in connection with 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC).
He directed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting to hold inquiry and expose the elements involved in such uncalled-for and politically motivated propaganda.
He said the visit was undertaken with the intention of sensitizing international community about the destructive affects of climate breakdown in Pakistan. The delegation successfully presented Pakistan’s case and received a very positive response from counter parliamenterians and general public, he added.
He said some factions tried to sabotage parliament’s diplomatic efforts via mudslinging and unfounded accusation based on their myopic view and inadequate as well as unverified information, which was totally in contrast to the factual position.
Allegation that the speaker attended the CPC with a 25-member delegation was a farce and against ground realities, he said, adding Pakistan was entitled to only five member delegation and of these five, two had been nominated by the senate and three, including the speaker were from the NA.
However, owing to sudden floods in her constituency, Dr Nafisa Shah regretted her participation and he participated with only one member, namely Rumina Khursheed Alam, the speaker maintained.
He said in addition to these two honorable parliamentarians, the NA secretary was participating in a sideline conference of the “Society of Clerks and Secretaries of Parliament.”
Likewise, the additional secretary of special initiatives was invited by Commonwealth Parliamentary Association as Regional Secretary in recognition of his services for successfully hosting the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Asia Region’s Secretariat for three consecutive years, he added.
He said as the delegation was very limited in number, AS (SI) had to single-handedly assist the entire delegation apart from performing his duties as regional secretary. Besides, it was also claimed that the delegation spent 1.6 million US Dollars from the national exchequer, which he outrightly rejected
It is noteworthy that the secretariat immediately issued a comprehensive statement on the matter to clear the air. Yet, some sections of the media continued to propagate false information as per nefarious motives.
Such anti-state activities warrant appropriate action in order to preserve the sanctity and inviolability of the supreme and most prestigious institute of the country.
