‘Legislative oversight on NAP in Punjab be strengthened’

LAHORE: Two parts of the National Action Plan (NAP) were to be implemented while the part related to the military was implemented but the second part which related to the civil side is yet to be implemented.

Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan of PML-N said this during a press briefing organised with the collaboration of Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO) that launched the Parliamentary Working Group (PWG) to strengthen the legislative oversight in Punjab.

The PML-N leader said, “We are living in a polarised society and all political parties are responsible for it. All political parties played their role in it.” Murtaza Hassan, parliamentary leader of PPP, condemned the attack on army in south Waziristan. He said PPP would play its role in saving the people of Pakistan. According to him, political victimisation is being done in Punjab for the last three months. “If victimisation did not stop, we will take to the streets,” he said.

Waseem Khan of PTI lauded the efforts made by SSDO on NAP. Prime Minister Imran Khan is committed to implementing the NAP, he said. The PWG is a multi-party group comprising members of Punjab Assembly from different political parties to work on the issues of peace and sustainable development in the province through legislative oversight.

Syed Kausar Abbas, SSDO executive director, said in the first phase of capacity building sessions, 66 members of Punjab Assembly elected from the nine districts of South Punjab were chosen to build their capacity on National Action Plan to counter violent extremism in Punjab. The districts are: Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Lodhran, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Khanewal, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Bhakkar and Rajanpur. The PA members would be engaged regularly in the capacity building and advocacy of peace and sustainable development in Punjab by providing them with regular technical support to raise the issues through legislative oversight in the House.