The Senate on Monday referred to the house standing committee a bill aimed at making it mandatory on Central Board of Revenue (CBR) to publish taxpayers directory every year as envisaged in a 2001 administrative order. The private member bill further to amend Income Tax Ordinance, 1979 (The Income Tax Amendment Bill, 2004) was moved by Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians' (PPPP) Senator Faratullah Babar.
And it was referred to the committee after a bitter controversy and exchange of arguments between the government and opposition senators on its status of being an ordinary or a money bill.
Later, the combined opposition staged a walkout from the House, accusing the government of opposing their private members' bill without having genuine reasons.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Dr Sherafgan Niazi opposed the legislation piece moved by Senator Farhatullah Babar, arguing that being a money bill it could not be brought in the Senate prior to the government's approval.
But Senator Babar took the position that as the CBR had not been able to publish taxpayers directory despite an administrative order issued in 2001, the Senate must make it mandatory thorough legislation.
The House rejected another private member bill of Leader of the Opposition, Mian Raza Rabbani, aimed at amending certain provisions of Banking Companies Ordinance, 1962, which he claimed, were in contradiction of the Constitution and 'controversial' Industrial Relation Ordinance (IRO), 2002.
The Senate also referred to the standing committee two other bills aimed at amending Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), 1860. Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) Senators Professor Ghafoor Ahmed and Kamran Murtaza moved these bills.
A bill of MMA Senator Dr Kauser Firdaus to amend the publication of the Holy Quran (Elimination of Printing Errors) Act, 1973 was also referred to the committee.
A bill seeking the publication of all inquiry commissions' report, except the part that could be harmful for country's integrity and security was also rejected. Faratullah Babar moved it.
Taking advantage of the absence of opposition members, the government dropped many other private members' bills on the agenda.
RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS: As many as five resolutions and same number of motions of opposition members on agenda also met the same fate. These included a resolution from Raza Rabbani seeking the Senate recommendation for the formulation of the Council of Common Interests constitution.
AMENDMENTS IN HOUSE RULES: The Senate approved certain amendments in the Rules of Procedures and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 1988.
PRESS WALKOUT: The journalists staged a walkout from media gallery against the killing of two local journalists in Wana earlier in the day.
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