Pakistan parliamentary Committee considers CPEC Authority Bill

Gwadar Pro

Islamabad: A Pakistani parliamentary Committee on Tuesday considered “The China Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2020” (Govt. Bill).

The 13th meeting of the Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives was held under the Chairmanship of Member National Assembly Junaid Akbar.

The Committee considered “The China Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2020” (Govt. Bill), said an official statement issued after the meeting.

“The Committee preferred the clause by clause reading and explanation of each clause. During discussion it was pointed out that the earlier ordinance upon the same subject was withdrawn by the Government. Hence, the instant Bill was introduced,” it said.

It was also noticed by the Committee that under which law the Authority is performing it functions if the ordinance withdrawn and no more in field.

The Secretary, Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives assured to brief the Committee in the next meeting about the fact that in what capacity and under what law Chairman CPEC Authority Asim Saleem Bajwa was performing its function.

“During discussion upon clause 23 of the Bill, Members requested for some time to reconsider and deliberate upon the same. Hence, the Committee unanimously recommends that the Bill may be deferred till its next meeting,” the statement said.

Last month, the CPEC Authority Bill 2020 and the Constitution (Twenty-sixth Amendment) bill were tabled in the National Assembly.

Two bills including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority Bill, 2020 and the Constitution (Twenty-sixth Amendment) bill were laid by Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan.

Under the CPEC bill, the Authority will comprise a chairperson and five members to be appointed by the prime minister. While their tenure will span four years, the chairperson can be given one-time extension for another four years. No person will be appointed as chairperson for a third term in a row, the bill stipulates.

Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri had forwarded both bills to concerned standing committees while opposition lodged protest against not providing copies of the bills in National Assembly.

The National Assembly also extended tabled ordinances for 120 days. Babar Awan, while responding to protest by Jamita Ulema-e-Islam (Fazal)’s Shahida Akhtar against the extension, said that under the constitution of the country, parliament can grant extension to ordinances.

The Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives also recommended for grant of development projects to all members of the Committee without discrimination about party affiliation.

The MNAs Sher Akbar Khan, Saleh Muhammad, Syed Faiz-ul-Hassan, Nawab Sher, Sardar Nasrullah Khan Dreshak, Imran Khattak, Muhammad Sajjad, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhary, Sardar Muhammad Irfan Dogar, Naveed Dero, Syed Agha Rafiullah and Abdul Shakoor besides the senior officers from the Ministry with their staff attended the meeting.