ISLAMABAD: The joint sitting of the Parliament, Tuesday, passed three bills, whereas the Speaker deferred eight bills for today (Wednesday) on objections of lawmakers for not providing them the copies of the bills and their proposed amendments.

National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf gave directions for giving time to the lawmakers for the consideration of amendments proposed in them.

The government; however, withdrew “The Protection of Parents Bill, 2023”. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that an identical bill introduced by private lawmaker Rana Maqbool Ahmad fulfilled the government’s objectives.

The joint sitting of the Parliament passed the bills, the Qanun-e-Shahadat (Amendment) Bill, 2023; the Control of Narcotics Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Petroleum (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

The deferred bills included the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2023; the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023; the Exit from Pakistan (Control) (Amendment) Bill, 2023; the Maintenance and Welfare of Old Parents and Senior Citizens Bill, 2023; the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2023; the Banking Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2023; the International Institute of Technology, Culture and Health Sciences Bill, 2023, and the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

According to objects and reasons of the Petroleum (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the word “Federal Government” to be substituted with appropriate authority as per the cabinet’s direction in the light of the definition of “Federal Government” by Supreme Court’s decision 2016.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023