ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, unanimously, passed three bills, the “Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2023”, “Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023”, and “Pakistan Names and Emblems (Prevention of Unauthorised Use) (Amendment) Bill, 2023”.

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat was held at the Parliament House on Thursday. The mover of the bill, “Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2023”, Senator Shahadat Awan said that the aim of the amendment is to ensure promotion benefits for civil servants recommended by the Central Selection Board but unable to be realised due to death or superannuation before promotion notification.

According to the bill, an amendment is proposed in section 9 of the Civil Servants Act, 1973, after sub-section (3), the following new sub-section (4) shall be inserted, namely: - “(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in section, if a civil servant dies or superannuates(retires) after the Central Selection Board or, as the case may be, the Departmental Promotion Committee has recommended his promotion to higher post, the Competent Authority shall approve promotion of such a civil servant with effect from the date on which the recommendation was made.” The Establish-ment Division opposed the amendment, terming it superficial, asserting the matter is already legally covered.

Furthermore, the Committee, unanimously, passed the “Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023” with amendments.

Senator Shahadat Awan remarked that the amendment outlines eligibility criteria for private members of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, making it mandatory for them to have at least 15 years of experience in public administration, economics, legal matters, finance, or related technical fields.

According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, “The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority Ordinance, 2002 prescribes the provisions regarding Private Members of the Authority without providing any requisite of the qualifications for them. In order to bring the law in conformity with global best practices, the amendment is proposed to prescribe qualifications for the private members, with an aim to ensure competence and effective management of the affairs and responsibilities of the Board as well as Public Procurement Regulatory Authority.”

Moreover, the Senate committee unanimously passed the “Pakistan Names and Emblems (Prevention of Unauthorised Use) (Amendment) Bill, 2023.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023