NA debates on Kerry-Lugar Bill

A hairsplitting discussion on the Kerry-Lugar Bill is being held on Wednesday in the National Assembly as the House has accepted the adjournment motion moved by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on the issue. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan says that the Bill will also be debated in the Senate. The adjournment motion that is being debated for two hours on Wednesday was moved by members from PML-N Sardar Mehtab, Malik Shakir Awan and Raja Asad. PML-N Leader Sheikh Aftab argued that the matter was important and two hours debate was not enough, adding that it should be debated for two days. On the occasion of Private Members Day, six bills were forwarded to the respective committees; two bills are related to constitutional amendments. On the Call Attention Notice about power tariff raise by 6 percent, Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf maintained that the raise was necessary to overcome WAPDAs deficit, adding that the increase would not affect agriculture sector. Talking to media after the session, Babar Awan maintained that the Kerry-Lugar Bill would be moved in the Senate for debate after National Assembly. Many parties have reservations on Kerry-Lugar Bill. In this regard, PML-Q secretary general Mushahid Hussain while talking to Dunya News exclusively said that no country could accept terms of Kerry-Lugar Bill. He said it is time to keep national interest ahead of politics.