By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: The Senate session on Tuesday was abuzz with the presentation of various standing committee reports and bills related to different ministries which referred to the respective committees for further discussions and deliberations.
Minister of State for Law and Justice, Shahdat Awan, took the floor to present the report of the Standing Committee on Overseas Paki-stanis and Human Resource Development. The report focused on the bill to amend the Emigration Ordinance, 1979, known as the Emigra-tion (Amendment) Bill, 2023. The proposed amendments are aimed at enhancing regulations concerning overseas Pakistanis. In addition to this, Minister Awan also presented another report on behalf of the Standing Committee on Railways, chaired by Senator Muhammad Qasim. This report addressed a starred question posed by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed regarding the government’s efforts to restore the railway track from Peshawar to Torkham. Senator Abida Muhammad Azeem, representing the Standing Com-mittee on Communications, chaired by Senator Prince Ahmed Umer Ahmedzai, presented a report on the excessive use of arable land for the construction of the Swat Motorway, raised by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed as a point of public importance.
Senator Fawzia Arshad, speaking on behalf of the Standing Commit-tee on Federal Education and Professional Training, chaired by Sena-tor Irfan ul Haque Siddiqui, presented three reports. The first report focused on the establishment of the Orient Institute of Science and Technology in Gwadar, the second report addressed the amendment to the International Islamic University Ordinance, 1985 while the 3rd report was on the establishment of Harbour Institute of Manage-ment, Sciences and Technology.
Furthermore, the Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, headed by Senator Muhammad Ha-mayun Mohmand, presented a report on measures taken by rele-vant ministry and authorities to prevent the spread of dengue in ru-ral and urban areas of Islamabad. This report was in response to concerns raised by Senator Fawzia Arshad.
He also presented reports on the bills to further to amend the Phar-macy Act, 1967 and to provide for establishment of Prime University of Nursing, Sciences and Technology raised by Senator Mushtaq Ah-med and Senator Naseebullah Bazai respectively.
The Senate also witnessed presentations from the Standing Commit-tee on Law and Justice, chaired by Senator Syed Ali Zafar. The committee presented three reports on bills to amend the Constitu-tion, introduced by Senators Kauda Babar and Mushtaq Ahmed.
On the foreign affairs front, Senator Walid Iqbal presented a report on behalf of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Senator Farooq Hamid Naek. The report addressed the issue of the appointment of Parliamentarians as Honorary Consul Generals, based on a point of public importance raised by Senator Prince Ah-med Umer Ahmedzai. Additionally, the committee also presented a report on two Pakistani schools in Libya, in response to a starred question by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed.
During the session, Shahadat Awan, acting on behalf of Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Ishaq Dar, laid the Half Yearly Report of the Board of Directors of State Bank of Pakistan on the state of Pakistan’s Economy for the year 2022-2023. He also presented the appropriation accounts for the financial year 2021-2022 and regulari-ty/special/study performance audit reports of the Auditor-General for the audit year 2022-2023, as required by Article 171 of the Con-stitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, introduced a bill to manage and regulate Toshakhana, known as the Toshakhana (Management and Regulation) Bill, 2023. The bill was referred to the relevant committee for further consideration.
In addition, Shahadat Awan, representing Minister for Board of In-vestment and Special Initiatives, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, introduced a bill to establish a one-stop service for investors in special economic zones and the country at large, titled The One Stop Service Bill, 2023. This bill was also referred to the relevant committee for fur-ther discussion.
Lastly, Shahadat Awan, on behalf of Minister for Commerce, Syed Naveed Qamar, moved two bills for consideration – The Imports and Exports (Control) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and The Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill, 2023. Both bills were referred to the committee for review.
He, on behalf of Minister for federal Education and Professional Training, Rana Tanveer Hussain, also moved a bill consideration – The National Skills University Islamabad (Amendment) Bill, 2023 which was also referred to the committee for further consideration.
In response to a calling attention notice, Senator Abida Muhammad Azeem drew attention to the Minister for Communications regarding sub-standard material used in the construction of KechHarnai road (107.2 Km) and Harnai-Sanjavi road (55.1 Km). The matter was re-ferred to the committee for a thorough investigation.
The Senate continues its session with the committees set to deliber-ate on the presented reports and bills, aiming to ensure effective governance and legislation in the country.
