The government is likely to promulgate six new laws as legal reform package through Presidential Ordinances as the processing of approval of new laws is very slow in Parliament due to the government's thin majority in the national assembly and a minority in the senate. In this regard, Ministry of Law and Justices has submitted a summary to the Federal Cabinet which will consider the proposal.
On September 17, 2019, the cabinet while dispensing with the requirement of a formal summary, by invoking Rule 20(6) of the Rules of Business 1973, approved the following legislative proposals, in principal: (i) Benami Transaction ( Prohibition) amendment Ordinance, 2019 ;(ii) Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019;(iii) enforcement of Women's Property Rights Ordinance, 2019;(iv) legal aid and Justice Authority Ordinance, 2019; (v) Letters of Administration and Succession Certificates Ordinance, 2019; (vi) Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission Ordinance, 2019;(vii) Supervisor Courts (Court Dress and Mode of Address) Order (Repeal Ordinance, 2019); (viii) Overseas Pakistan's Immovable Properties Protection Ordinance, 2019; and (ix) amendment in NAB Ordinance, 1999 to restrict particular class of prison to offenders under the subject law.
The Cabinet also directed the minister for law to examine and recommend the best course for enactment of the above draft laws relating to matters of public interest. However, the Ministry of Law and Justice has selected Benami Transaction (Prohibition) amendment Ordinance, 2019, code of civil procedure (amendment) Ordinance, 2019, enforcement of Women's Property Rights Ordinance, 2019, legal aid and Justice Authority Ordinance, 2019, Letters of Administration and Succession Certificates Ordinance, 2019) and amendment in the NAB Ordinance, 1999 to restrict particular class of prison to offenders under the subject law. The source said, out of six new laws, four are pending with the National Assembly Standing Committee on Law and Justice.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019