The 40th session of the National Assembly began in Islamabad on Monday afternoon with Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in the chair.
The chair announced the Panel of the Presiding Officers for the current session. It includes Muhammad Pervaiz Malik, Mahmood Bashir Virk, Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, Shaikh Salahuddin, Shahida Akhtar Ali and Ghazi Gulab Jamal.
At the outset of the proceedings, the House offered Fateha for the departed souls for those martyred in the different incidents of terrorism, bomb blasts and natural disasters in the country.
The National Assembly was informed today that Pakistan Halal Authority has been established through an Act of the Parliament to promote imports, exports, and foreign and inter-provincial trade in Halal articles and processes.
Minister for Science and Technology Rana Tanvir Hussain told the House during question hour that under the act no transaction will be made without certification by an accredited Halal Certification Body.
He said the Prime Minister has approved the constitution of Board of Governor of PHA and its first meeting will be convened soon.
To a question, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad told the House that the government is pursuing the implementation of the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project.
He said the work on the project could not be started due to international sanctions on Iran. He said Pakistan is ready to complete the gas pipeline project within thirty months after the removal of international sanctions on Iran.