ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reached Parliament House as a joint session went underway on Tuesday.

Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq chaired the session.

Addressing the session, Senior Awami National Party (ANP) leader and former federal minister for Railways, Ghulam Ahmed Bilour said that the leadership of the protesting parties is using derogatory language, adding that Imran Khan can "never become the prime minister of the country".

Bilour said that a great amount of money was spent on election campaigns and hurled accusations at the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman for allegedly taking money from people to become the prime minister of the country.

After failing, he is struggling to become premier through unlawful means, said Bilour.

About Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri, the senior ANP leader said that he was following an international agenda.

Bilour said that Qadri wanted to rule without constitution or democracy.

The political rivalry between PTI and ANP deepened after the general elections last year, with the ANP witnessing its first-ever crushing defeat in the district. The ANP's popularity bubble burst in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa last year as PTI swept the provincial Assembly seats to secure a government in the province in coalition with the Jamaat-i-Islami.

Joint sessions of Parliament continue for the second week since protesters crossed red lines to spill onto Constitution Avenue in Islamabad, demanding the ouster of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The ANP threw its weight behind the government and criticised the protesting PTI for resorting to what it calls "unconstitutional" means for the removal of the premier.

128 deaths caused by flood in Punjab: Khawaja Asif

On the floor of the House, Federal Minister Khawaja Asif described in detail the devastation caused by widespread flooding in the country, and said the death toll had reached 128 in Punjab alone.

He said that the government received information of an exceptionally high flood on September 6.

Asif said that the Gujranwala district was worst affected by floods and the flooding in river Chenab caused mass destruction.

Asif said that the deaths in the Sargodha division were caused by heavy rains as opposed to flooding.

He added that the government worked to its best ability despite the catastrophe of flash floods and limited precaution time.

He also made an appeal for an increase in the funds received by the Met Office and flood commission.

“Urban flooding is a result of encroachments, due to which flood water destroys settlements”, the minister said.