ISLAMABAD: With its term in power coming to a close, the current government rushed up legislative activity on Sunday, getting five measures with far-reaching ramifications passed by the upper house of parliament.
After numerous parliamentarians called a bill about counter measures against violent extremism “dangerous for democracy” and “far-reaching in its consequences,” the treasury was forced to abandon the legislation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already indicated that the National Assembly will be dissolved and authority will be transferred to an interim set-up before the government’s term ends on August 12.
It looked that the government was finally taking steps to enact its promised reforms in a variety of areas before leaving office.
The Senate even met on Christmas Day.
The Upper House of Parliament met on Sunday, passing five measures and sending another to the appropriate standing committee for consideration of moon sighting. They also heard a report on the Civil Servants Amendment Bill 2023.
Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani presided over the meeting, while Minister of State Shahadat Awan shepherded through legislation addressing extremism prevention, Toshakhana gift management, and the separation of civil aviation.
To confirm the role of the army in national development, read the bill.
The goal of the Anti-Violent Extremism Act was to prevent “any extremist or violent” group from running for office.
The majority of both the treasury and opposition lawmakers in the house voted against it.
Both Senator Tahir Bizenjo of the government-friendly Balochistan National Party (BNP) and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said that the measure was “dangerous for democracy” and voted against it.
Senators said that these choices were unilaterally made by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) without consulting other political parties.
The senators’ major argument against the bill was that it was being brought with one political party in mind, but could easily be used as a weapon against others.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan (Fazl) senators Kamran Murtaza and Abdul Ghafoor Haideri were also against the bill.
Mustaq Ahmed, a member of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), said, “This measure will be the last nail in the coffin of the Islamic community.”
PML-N Even though Senator Irfan Siddiqui was against the bill, PPP member Sherry Rehman tacitly supported it by saying that it should not be rushed. However, she did mention discussing bill revisions with others.
At a later time, the chair stated that the bill would no longer be considered. For the time being, I am withdrawing my motion,” Chairman Sanjrani informed the chamber. Moreover, “the government can decide whether it wants to pursue this bill or not,” he said.
The bill’s fate was up in the air at the time. The bill has been withdrawn by the chairman, and it now appears hopeless of being passed; it may never be introduced again.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives enacted the Toshakhana Management and Regulation Bill 2023, which forbids public officials from accepting gifts.
All gifts received by the president, prime minister, Supreme Court judges, military officers, and other public office holders must now be declared in the Toshakhana per the new law.
A fine equal to five times the value of the gift would be imposed for late submission.
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The new plan is to auction off the presents and use the money for the education of girls.
The president, prime minister, chief ministers and cabinet members, senate chairman, senate deputy chairman, speaker, senate deputy speaker, MPs, chief justice, military personnel, and others would all be subject to the bill’s provisions.
The bill stated that the giftees would not be able to purchase the antiques and automobiles.
The artifacts given as presents would be kept and displayed in museums or government facilities.
The airports’ commercial and operational matters, airport upgrades and management, etc., will now be delegated to an airports authority, thanks to the passage of the Pakistan Airports Authority Bill 2023.
As required by law, the new body would take over CAA functions including aviation navigation services, aircraft controlling and maintenance, information management services, flight operations, and air traffic.
The nine-person Airports Authority Board would be led by the Secretary of Transportation and include the Vice Chief of Air Staff, the Secretaries of Finance and Planning, and the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue.
The National Institute of Technology Bill 2023, the Pakistan Air Safety Investigation Bill 2023, and the Pakistan General Cosmetics Bill 2023 were also approved by the lower house.
The Pakistan General Cosmetics Bill 2023 claims that using counterfeit cosmetics increases the risk of developing cancer, allergies, and skin problems. It stipulated the creation of the Pakistan General Cosmetics Authority.
The organization’s purview would include controlling the entry and exit of cosmetics, as well as their production, distribution, and retail sale within the country. The law proposes a three-year prison sentence and a fine of up to Rs5 million for the production of counterfeit cosmetics.
During this time period, the Senate also heard a report on the Civil Servants Amendment Bill. The research recommended against hiring back retired government officials. The meeting was eventually postponed until Wednesday.
