The Upper House of the Parliament on Monday unanimously passed 'the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Bill, 2019,' a private member bill moved by Leader of the House in Senate Shibli Faraz, which seeks to grant the provinces the powers to nominate their representatives in National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) without requiring the federal government's approval.

During the Senate's session presided over by chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Faraz presented the bill, which has already been passed by the relevant Senate standing committee. During voting on the bill, no one from the opposition benches opposed the bill leading to its unanimous passage. The bill would now land in the National Assembly seeking the Lower House's nod before seeking the ascent of the President of Pakistan in order to become a law.

The Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Bill 2019 seeks to amend the Section 3 (1) of the Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power Act 1997.

The amended Section 3 (1) reads as: "Establishment of the Authority. - (1) As soon as may be, but not later than thirty days after the commencement of this Act, the federal government shall, by notification in the official gazette, establish a National Electric Power Regulatory Authority consisting of a Chairman to be appointed by the Federal Government and four members, one from each province, to be appointed by the provincial governments."

Before this amendment, the section 3 (1) read as: "Establishment of the Authority. - (1) As soon as may be, but not later than thirty days after the commencement of this Act, the federal government shall, by notification in the official gazette, establish a National Electric Power Regulatory Authority consisting of a chairman to be appointed by the federal government and four members, one from each province, to be appointed by the federal government after considering the recommendations of the respective provincial governments."

Meanwhile, the senators from opposition slammed the federal government's alleged incompetence in the backdrop of ongoing severe flour crisis.

Speaking on the floor of the House, Leader of the Opposition in Senate Raja Zafar-ul-Haq strongly criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led federal government for the shortage of flour and increase in the flour prices.

He alleged that the flour crisis was caused due to the government's move to allow a bigwig to first export the flour and then to import it. "All of this is happening because of one person who is behind this mega scandal. The government first allowed him to export flour allowing him to make a lot of money. Later, the government allowed the same person to import the flour," he said.

Siraj-ul-Haq from Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) said flour is the basic necessity which has become inaccessible to common man due to sheer incompetence of the PTI government. "Isn't it a crying shame that a basic necessity like flour has slipped beyond the reach of the common man? Those mafias, lobbies and cartels that are behind this saga should not be spared."

Barrister Javed Abbasi from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said, "As if the skyrocketing inflation was not enough, the masses are again made to suffer - this time through flour crisis."

Abbasi also criticised the government for skyrocketing increase in the gas tariff. "Gas is one of the most essential commodities that the people of Pakistan rely on to keep themselves warm in the freezing winter. When the PML-N was in power, our government did not increase the gas tariff, not even for a penny during all the five years of our government. This government lacks will, wisdom and skill to address the issues of the public. The inflation is killing people, so is winter," he said.

Other senators including Muzaffar Hussain Shah from Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Mohsin Aziz from the ruling party PTI, Lieutenant General Abdul Qayyum (retd) from PML-N, Usman Kakar from Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and Abdul Qayyum and Pervaiz Rasheed from PML-N took part in the discussion which would continue today (Tuesday).

The House also passed a resolution moved by Bahramand Tangi from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) urging the government to "take necessary steps to implement the 'ease of doing business' programme, initiated by the present government, in letter and spirit and facilitate the business community to encourage the local and foreign investors to make investment in the country."

Siraj-ul-Haq's resolution urging the government to "take immediate steps to provide official accommodations to all employees working in government and semi-government departments" was also passed by the Senate.

Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed responded to criticism from Siraj regarding performance of Pakistan Railways, saying the railways during his ongoing stint as minister, has earned revenue of Rs 10 billion and decreased its annual losses by Rs 6 billion. "Unless the railway track that was installed in 1861 is changed, accidents cannot be prevented. In the next couple of months, a tender would be floated for new and the latest railways track," he added.

The Senate would meet again today (Tuesday) at 3:00pm.