ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: During the second parliamentary year, the National Assembly passed 17 Bills and Ordinances introduced by the government, said Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan here on Wednesday.

Talking to a select group of journalists, Dr Afgan said the second year's performance of the National Assembly in terms of legislative business showed a marked improvement over the first year.

He said the National Assembly had completed the Constitutional requirement of the meeting for 130 days in a calendar year.

Dilating on the performance of the parliamentary business, Dr Afgan said important legislation pertaining to common man was undertaken by the National Assembly, including passage of "The Injured Persons (Medical Aid) Bill, 2004." He said the National Assembly passed important Bills relating to control of nuclear exports and related technologies and to combat terrorism.

The important legislation done by the National Assembly during the second parliamentary year included passage of the following 17 Bills/Ordinances:

The Constitution (Seventeenth Amendment) Bill 2003; The National Security Council Bill, 2004; The Finance Bill 2004; The Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2004; The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2003; The Non-Performing Assets and Rehabilitation of Industrial Undertakings (Legal Proceedings) (Amendment) Bill 2004; The Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2003; The Defamation (Amendment) Bill, 2004; The Anti- Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2003; The Export Control on Goods, Technologies, Material and Equipment related to Nuclear and Biological Weapons and their Delivery Systems Bill, 2004; The Federal Public Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2004 (Ordinance No III of 2003); The President to Hold Another Office Bill, 2004; The Gawadar Port Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2004; The Injured Persons (Medical Aid) Bill, 2004; The Contempt of Court Bill, 2004; The Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2004; The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2004.