The National Assembly today started debate on President Asif Ali Zardari’s address to both Houses of the Parliament held on 18th of last month.

Opening the discussion, Opposition leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan called for upholding rule of law in the country to attract more Foreign Direct Investment and strengthen democracy.

Regarding May 9 incidents, he demanded for the constitution of a judicial commission to probe the matter.

Earlier, the House was informed  that the accreditation examination for Doctors who completed their degrees from abroad will be held twice in the year.

Responding to a calling attention notice, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Nazeer Tarar said the first test will be held in June and the second will be held in December.

He further said that the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council has also redesigned the examination and reduced the benchmark for passing the test from 70 percent to 60 percent.

The House also extended “The Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority Ordinance, 2024” for a further period of one hundred and twenty days with effect from 14th of next month.

Earlier, the newly elected member National Assembly Mubarak Zeb Khan took oath.

The House also offered fateha for departed souls of security personnel and workers from Punjab, killed in Balochistan.    

Speaking on the occasion, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif criticized PTI for attacking military installations and desecrating martyrs' monuments. 

He said they should apologize for stoking violence on May 9th last year.

The Minister said they should refrain from targeting state institutions and symbols of national pride.

The House will now meet at 11.a.m. tomorrow.