ISLAMABAD: Amid controversy over placement of names of prominent opposition leaders on the Exit Control List (ECL) by the government - often on the recommendation of the top anti-graft body - a parliamentary panel Tuesday passed "The Exit from Pakistan (Control) (Amendment) Bill, 2019."

The National Assembly's Standing Committee on Law and Justice headed by Riaz Fatyana recommended that the National Assembly might pass the bill with amendments.

Senator Raza Rabbani and MNA Raja Pervez Ashraf of opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) have moved the bills from the Senate and the National Assembly, respectively.

One proposed amendment compels the federal government to specify the grounds for inclusion of a person's name in the ECL and communicate the same within 24 hours to the person barred from travelling abroad.

It says that in case of an appeal, the government would be required to decide within 15 days, and the order would lapse, if it was not done within the specified time period.

The bill seeks deletion of Section 2(3), which states that "if, while prohibiting a person from foreign travel, it appears to the federal government that it will not be in the public interest to specify the grounds on which such an order is proposed to be made, it shall not be necessary for it to specify such grounds."

The statement of objects and reasons of the bill states that the provisions of the Exit from Pakistan (Control) Ordinance, 1981, are in conflict with the fundamental rights conferred by the Constitution.

The proposed amendments bring in harmony its provisions with the Constitution and are based on the observations of the superior courts in several cases.

The committee deferred another bill - "The Banking Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2019" - moved by Raja Pervaiz Ashraf till the next meeting.

"The Islamabad Compulsory Vaccination and Protection of Health Workers Bill, 2020" moved by Sardar Ayaz Sadiq of the PML-N was also deferred due to the absence of the mover.

The committee passed "The Islamabad Capital Territory Prohibition of Corporal Punishment Bill, 2019" moved by Mehnaz Akbar Aziz of the PML-N after detailed deliberations.

The Committee considered "The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (Article 179)" moved by Amjad Ali Khan MNA, and recommended that the bill might not be passed by the National Assembly.

The committee deferred "The Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils (Amendment) Bill, 2020" (Section 5) moved by Nafisa Shah, and "The Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils (Amendment) Bill, 2020" (Section 5) moved by Sher Akbar Khan.

The committee recommended the Law and Justice Ministry to devise a proper formula to increase the seats of provincial bar councils across the country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020