ISLAMABAD: The federal government, Monday, refused to allow an increase in the stipend offered to deserving beneficiaries under Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) by opposing the Benazir Income Support (Amendment) Bill 2022, as well as, State Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill 2022 in the Senate that led to the rejection of both these private bills by the house.
Samina Mumtaz Zehri from Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) was the mover of the Benazir Income Support (Amendment) Bill 2022 whereas two Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) legislators Zeeshan Khanzada and Faisal Saleem Rahman moved the State Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill 2022.
On the final day of the Senate’s “mini-budget session,” Samina Zehri sought from the house leave to move the Benazir Income Support (Amendment) Bill 2022.
She said the bill aimed to amend Benazir Income Support Act 2010 to increase the financial stipend for BISP beneficiaries.
The senator argued that the financial assistance offered by BISP was not at par with the spiralling inflation. According to the lawmaker, inflation in Pakistan is currently recorded at 40 per cent and “whatever is being offered by BISP to the needy is not enough at all.”
However, State Law Minister Shahadat Awan opposed the bill citing a shortage of funds.
Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani held a voice vote on the bill which led to the rejection of the bill by majority vote.
State Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill 2022 aimed to amend the State Bank of Pakistan Act 1956 for shifting the SBP headquarters from Karachi to Islamabad.
Briefing the house over the bill, Khanzada said shifting of SBP head office from Karachi to Islamabad would help address the issues related to the banking sector including those concerning Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Khanzada sought leave from the Senate to move the bill in the house. Again, the state law minister opposed it on the grounds that the shifting of SBP would put extra burden on the national kitty.
A voice vote was held on this bill too, leading to its rejection by the house by majority vote.
Two other private bills: Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill 2023 and National Commission on the Rights of Child (Amendment) Bill 2023 were introduced and referred to the relevant standing committees.
The house adopted a motion allowing the use of the Senate chamber for the house’s golden jubilee celebrations next month. PTI’s Gurdeep Singh moved the motion. Senate session was prorogued.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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