The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice will take up seven key bills today (Friday) referred to it by the House during its ongoing session. Senator Javed Abbasi of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will preside over the meeting where two constitutional amendment bills moved by Jamaat-e-Islami and five bills already introduced by the government through presidential ordinances will be discussed.

The two bills moved by the JI seek abolition of presidential powers to pardon sentences in Hudood and Qisas cases and to put a ban on foreigners from purchasing properties in Pakistan. The bill seeking an amendment to Article 45 of the constitution titled "President's power to grant pardon" was moved by JI chief Sirajul Haq on Jan 20 and Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani referred it to the committee despite its initial opposition by the government.

According to Article 45, "The President shall have power to grant pardon, reprieve and respite, and to remit, suspend or commute any sentence passed by any court, tribunal or other authority." Through the bill, Sirajul Haq suggested inserting the words "Provided that the President would not exercise this power in cases of punishments awarded under Hudood and Qisas."

The second constitution amendment bill seeking a ban on the purchase of properties by the foreigners had been moved by another JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmed in September last year.

Through the bill, he has sought an amendment to the Article 253 which provides powers to the Parliament to "prescribe the maximum limits as to property or any class thereof which may be owned, held, possessed or controlled by any person; and declare that any trade, business, industry or service specified in such law shall be carried on or owned, to the exclusion, complete or partial, of other persons, by the federal government or a provincial government, or by a corporation controlled by any such government."