-Approves PSW Act 2021 & Senate Secretariat Services (Amendment) Act 2021
By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: President Dr. Arif Alvi on Friday signed into law the Pakistan Single Window Act 2021 and Senate Secretariat Services (Amendment) Act 2021.
Under the Pakistan Single Window Act, an independent institution having a Governing Council and Secretariat, would be established for the facilitation of national and international trade. The new law will provide a coordinated one-window system to facilitate exports, imports and transit trade, a news release issued by the President’s Media Wing here said.
Establishment of an independent institution besides reducing the cost of doing business will also help ease cross border trade and transportation of goods. The institution will also help in timely processing of data and bring about improvement in the provision of quality services.
Under the Senate Secretariat Services (Amendment) Act 2021, signed into law by the President under article 75 of the Constitution, the BS-17 appointments in Senate Secretariat will be made through the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC).
However, the Senate Secretariat would be authorized to make appointments in BS-1 to BS-16. Direct appointments in BS-18 in Senate Secretariat have been done away with. The absorption of officers, posted in Senate Secretariat on deputation, has also been prohibited under the new law.
Earlier, President Dr Arif Alvi Saturday signed an ordinance amending the Election Act 2017 to provide for holding the Senate election through open ballot. Through Election (Amendment) Ordinance 2021, the president amended sub-section VI of section 122 of the Election Act 2017.
The ordinance, released by the President House, will come into force if the Supreme Court, hearing Reference No 1 of 2021, opined that the matter was not in its purview.
“Provided that in case the Supreme Court of Pakistan gives an opinion in Reference No 1 of 2021 filed under Article 186 of the Constitution that elections for the members of Senate do not fall within the purview of Article 226 of the Constitution, the poll for elections for members of the Senate to be held in March, 2021 and thereafter shall be conducted by the Commission through open and identifiable ballot,” the ordinance says.
Moreover, according to the ordinance, the Election Commission would show the ballot to the political party of it requested for the same after the election. “Provided further that after the elections for members of Senate, if the head of the political party requests the Commission to show the ballot cast by any voting member of his party, the Commission shall show the same to the head of the political party or his nominee.”
Following is the text of the ordinance:
AN ORDINANCE: further to amend the Elections Act, 2017; WHEREAS it is expedient further to amend the Elections Act, 2017 (XXXIII of 2017), AND WHEREAS the Senate and the National Assembly are not in session and the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary to take immediate action.
