ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Friday contacted Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl leader Maulana Asad Mehmood, and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders Rana Tanvir Hussain and Khawaja Asif. The speaker discussed the formation of parliamentary committee to oversee the government efforts to deal with the pandemic.

“Together we have to fight the pandemic and send a message to the entire world that Pakistani nation and the political leadership are united at this critical juncture,” the speaker said while talking to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto. Bilawal agreed with the speaker, saying that the pandemic and its aftermath needs a collective fight as a united nation. He extended his and his party’s support for the national cause.

While talking to PML-N leaders, the speaker said apart from affecting the health of the people, the coronavirus will also adversely impact the economy of the country. He said the country may have to face multitude of challenges in the coming days. The PML-N leaders agreed to forge unity to effectively tackle the challenge and assured to give names of their party’s representatives after consultation with the leadership.

Speaker Asad Qaiser is active to unite the entire political leadership to fight the coronavirus challenge. In a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan a day earlier, the two leaders had agreed to set up a parliamentary committee to monitor governmental actions with regards to coronavirus. In addition to delivering its recommendations to the government, the parliamentary committee will also review the steps taken by the government to deal with the pandemic. The committee will be notified as soon the National Assembly Secretariat receives names of members from the political parties.