Senate passes two bills, witnesses introduction of four private members’ bills

ISLAMABAD: The Upper House of Parliament on Monday passed two bills and witnessed introduction of four private members’ bills.

Senator Nasreen Jalil moved the National Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Bill, 2017 after report of the Functional Committee. The House passed the bill aimed to amend the National Commission on the Status of Women Act, 2012.

Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan moved the Auditor-General’s (Functions, Powers and Terms and Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Bill, 2017 which was passed by the House.

A bill – the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2017] (Amendments of sections 375 and 377) – was dropped due to absence of its mover Senator Rubina Khalid. The House passed other four private members’ bills which included the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2017] (Amendment of section 364A of PPC and Schedule II of Cr.P.C), the Federal Investigation Commission Bill, 2017, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and the National Civic Education Commission Bill, 2017.

Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal opposed the motion to move Federal Investigation Commission Bill, 2017 following which Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani asked for voting on introduction of the bill. As many as 26 Senators voted to in favour of the motion to introduce the bill while 22 opposed it. After voting, the Chairman referred the bill to the relevant committee.

A bill - the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-smokers Health (Amendment) Bill, 2017 – appeared on the agenda under Rule 115 for withdrawal but it was deferred due to absence of relevant mover Senator Ch. Tanvir Khan.

Four reports of Senate Standing Committees on various bills including the Auditor-General’s (Functions, Powers and Terms and Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Bill, 2017], the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad (Amendment) Bill, 2017]; the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Amendment of Article 153) and the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill, 2017] were presented in the House. Two reports of various committees on starred questions, one report on a matter of public importance, one on the issue of dacoity at the house of Senator Rubina Irfran and a report of the Standing Committee on Privatization and Statistics from August, 2017 to November 2017 were presented in the House.

Moved by the Leader of the House Senator Raja Zafar ul Haq, the House passed a motion to constitute a Select Committee to consider thee Islamabad Restriction on Employment of Children Bill, 2017. It authorized Chairman Senate make changes in the composition of the Committee as and when deemed necessary. The Committee shall elect its Chairman in its first meeting and the report of the Committee shall be presented not later than forty five days from the date of notification of the Chairman of the Committee.

Convener, Special Committee on Marginalized Segments of Society, Nisar Muhammad presented 8th interim report of the Special Committee on Marginalized Segments of Society.