ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice rejected on Wednesday three private member bills separately moved by two lawmakers from major opposition parties, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), that respectively sought to amend the Constitution to curtail presidential powers to promulgate not more than five ordinances at any time, increasing number of national languages from one to eight and provision of free education to all children below the age of 18.

Riaz Fatyana from the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) presided over the committee’s meeting.

The committee considered The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (Article 89) moved by Abdul Qadir Patel from PPP. After detailed deliberations, the committee rejected the bill by majority vote.

Article 89 (1) of the Constitution of Pakistan reads, “Power of President to promulgate Ordinances.—(1) The President may, except when the (Senate or) National Assembly is in session, if satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary to take immediate action, make and promulgate an Ordinance as the circumstances may require.”

The bill recommended to add the following provision in the Article 89 (1) “Provided that the number of ordinances promulgated at any time shall not exceed five.”

“The basic function of the Parliament is to legislate. But during the course of recent months, it has been observed that the role of the Parliament is being restricted and the legislation is being done through promulgation of Ordinances. Ordinances are issued simultaneously in dozens. Therefore, it is necessary to limit the number of Ordinances issued simultaneously so that the Parliament may proceed in a much better manner,” reads the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the bill.

The bill had landed in the National Assembly on December 10, 2019, and was referred to the NA Standing Committee on Law and Justice.

Furthermore, the Committee considered The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Article 251) moved by Kesoo Mal Kheeal Das from PML-N. The bill sought to amend Article 251 of the constitution to make Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Brahvi, Hindko and Siraiki the national languages of Pakistan along with Urdu. The bill landed in the NA on January 8, 2020, and was referred to the NA’s law and justice panel.

The committee also considered The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Article 25A) 2020 also moved by PML-N’s Das. The bill sought to amend Article 25A of the Constitution and recommended that the state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children below the age of eighteen years. By majority vote the NA panel rejected both the bills.

The committee also considered The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Article 26A) moved by Nusrat Wahid from PTI. The bill recommends adding new Article 26A in Article 26, which read “Right to healthy environment.- The state shall provide clean, healthy and pollution free environment for all in such manner as may be determined by law.” The bill was deemed rejected after the mover of the bill withdrew it.

The committee considered The Legal Aid and Justice Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2020, (Section 2, 6 & 9A) moved by Uzma Riaz from PTI. The committee deferred the same till next meeting on request of the mover.

The committee also considered The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Article 51) moved by PTI’s Junaid Akbar and deferred it till next meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020