The National Assembly passed 'The Pakistan Climate Change Bill, 2016' and 'The Central Law Officers (Amendment) Bill, 2016' to establish Pakistan Climate Change Authority and rename standing counsel as assistant attorney general respectively. The National Assembly passed both the bills in the absence of the opposition, which was out of the House as a protest against scuffle between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members.
According to objective of the Pakistan Climate Change Bill, 2016, "Pakistan's per capita emission of greenhouse gases today is one of the lowest in the world. Yet it ranks amongst the top ten countries most affected by climate change during the last twenty years. It now regularly suffers from the vagaries of climate change, including climate-induced phenomena such as recurrent floods, droughts, desertification, glacial melt, and seawater intrusion.
"Extreme climatic events have resulted in tragic loss of lives and colossal damage to the economy. Indeed, they have significantly impeded out efforts to promote sustainable growth and development and to ensure economic prosperity of the people.
"The Framework for Implementation of the National Climate Change Policy for the period 2014-2030 serves to integrate climate-friendly policies into our national and economic planning. The Framework spells out appropriate adaptation actions as well as mitigation measures covering all sectors of the economy.
"Pakistan is a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), 1992, and Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC, 1997. It is also initiated the process for ratifying the Paris Agreement, 2015 which recognises that climate change represents an urgent and potentially irreversible threat to human societies and the planet and thus is a global challenge, requiring the widest possible co-operation by all countries.
"For the aforesaid purposes amongst others, it is considered necessary to establish an independent Pakistan Climate Change Authority which will, under the guidance of a high-powered Pakistan Climate Change Council (chaired by the Prime Minister and with representation from all provinces, including the chief ministers), provide a framework for mitigating and adapting to the effects of the changing climate on various sectors of the economy and developing response strategies to the effects of climate change. The proposed authority will also identify and supervise the transfer of appropriate technology, including renewable technology, and strengthen capacity-building measures.
"The Bill also establishes a Pakistan Climate Change Fund, managed by a Board. Money from the Fund will be utilised to meet expenses of both the Authority and the Fund itself and for financial assistance to suitable adaptation and mitigation projects and measures designed inter alia to combat the adverse effects of climate change.
"The Bill has been developed with the support and participation of various governmental and non-governmental stakeholders in the climate change arena. It is also in accordance with international best practices and standards."
The government also introduced two bills; 'The Constitution (Twenty-fifth Amendment) Bill, 2017' and 'The Compulsory Teaching of the Holy Quran Bill, 2017.'
According to objective of The Constitution (Twenty-fifth Amendment) Bill, 2017, "It is proposed to increase the entitlement of pension of widows of the judges of Supreme Court of Pakistan and High Courts from 50 % to 75 % by amending Paragraph -4 of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution."
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