Senate passes seven private members’ bills, refers four to committees

Islamabad: The Senate on Monday passed seven bills and witnessed the introduction of four private members’ bills which were referred to the relevant committees for further consideration.

Moved by PML-N Senator Kamran Micheal, the House passed the Christian Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2023 as reported by the Standing Committee. However, an amendment proposed by the mover in the bill was also adopted.

PTI Senator Seemee Ezdi moved the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Easements (Amendment) Bill, 2023 as reported by the Standing Committees. Both bill were passed by the House.

The House passed four other bills including the Injured Persons (Medical Aid) (Amendment) Bill, 2023; the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023; the Federal Institute of Management Sciences Bill, 2023 and the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Technology Bill, 2023.  These bills were moved by PTI Senator Prof. Dr. Mehr Taj Roghani; JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, Independent Senator Naseeb Ullah Bazai and PTI Senator Fida Muhammad.

The bill introduced in the House included the Equal Scales of Salary and Allowances Bill, 2024; the Wapda University Islamabad Bill, 2023; the Universal Health Coverage Bill, 2024 and the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

MQMP Senator Khalida Ateeb moved the Equal Scales of Salary and Allowances Bill, 2024 which aimed to ensure uniform and equal scales of salary, allowances and compensation in the autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, statutory bodies, corporations, companies, authorities and other organizations or entities under the administrative control, directly or indirectly, or having share the capitals, of the Ministries and Divisions of the Federal Government and ancillary matters to end discriminatory, exploitative and inconsistent pay packages. She also moved the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Chair bill referred it to the committee.

PTI Senator Fawzia Arshad moved the Wapda University Islamabad Bill, 2023 which aims to to provide for the establishment of Wapda University Islamabad. PTI Senator Sania Nishtar moved The Universal Health Coverage Bill, 2024 which aims to provide for Universal Health Coverage in Pakistan through establishment of a two-pronged health financing window, health insurance and a catastrophic health expenditure prevention fund-based health financing window.

PML-N Senator Afnan Ullah Khan requested to defer the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024]. (Insertion of new sections 160A and 160B in the PPC and subsequent amendments in Schedule II of the Cr.PC). The Chair deferred the bill on the request of the mover.

A bill – the Aliz Institute of Arts and Sciences Bill, 2024 – was deferred due to the absence of the movers.