Pakistan

Jamaat-e-Islami moves bill for social security

Bill seeks to amend Constitution to ensure provision of financial resources for basic necessities at govt’s expense.

Irfan Ghauri February 01, 2011

ISLAMABAD: Senators of Jamaat-e-Islami moved on Monday a bill in the Senate, proposing mandatory universal social security.

Proposing an amendment in Article 19A of the Constitution by adding a new clause 19B in the article, the party proposed that every citizen should have the right to social security which includes provision of financial resources or basic necessicities such as food, clothing and health coverage at the government’s expense.

The party has three senators in the upper house of parliament who jointly moved the proposed law as a private members’ bill terming it the 19th amendment.

The text of the bill said that the state “shall take all necessary steps to enforce the provision. If the state fails to enforce the provision, the person in need of social security may approach a sessions judge…or the nearest judicial magistrate who shall refer the case to authorities concerned for immediate resolution”.

The bill has been sent to the standing committee concerned for further discussion.

Senators from various parties condemned the shooting incident at the residence of Senator Zahid Khan in Dir in which his brother and two of his cousins were injured and a guard was killed.

Some senators said that Pakistan could now get Dr Aafiya Siddiqui repatriated in exchange for the accused Raymond Davis, who is involved in the murder charge of three persons in Lahore.

A number of senators from both sides of the aisle also moved a privilege motion against media reports that alleged that their degrees were fake. The motion was moved by Senators Afrasyab Khattak, Neelofar Bakhtiar, Babar Awan, Waseem Sajjad and Ishaq Dar. They asked Deputy Chairman Mir Jan Muhammad Jamali, who was in the chair, to send their motion to the house privilege committee.

“A few days ago, some news reports were circulating regarding degrees of honourable members, claiming they were fake. The reputation of these parliamentarians has been tarnished,” Khattak said. He added that he had been elected to the technocrat’s seat and had submitted all his documents to the Election Commission (EC).

Leader of the House Syed Nayyar Bukhari endorsed the motion and said that it should be sent to the privileges committee.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2011.

COMMENTS (8)

Imran Khan | 13 years ago | Reply haha, and the bill would be financed through USAID?

Abdullah | 13 years ago | Reply So do you expect the homeless to pay taxes or do you expect the government to take taxes from the rich and build home for the poor?

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Naeem Siddiqui,Australia | 13 years ago | Reply @Peace lover Mate! A bill in parliament doesn’t make a state as welfare. The first step towards a 'true welfare state' is to start paying Taxes willingly and honestly. You can’t have a welfare state without an effective and broad based taxation system. I should not expect government to provide me food, clothing and health cover during my unemployed period while I was not willing to pay my taxes honestly when I was employed. I should not expect government to provide me good roads and better infrastructure while I prefer to bribe police constable instead of paying the ticket/challan.

Abdullah | 13 years ago | Reply Why are all the people who have enough against a social security program that provides for basic necessities to the poor? JI has already given austerity programs to the government in terms of cutting down on expenses; expanding tax base and boosting economy to generate more income for the government. With this in place and corruption fixed there is enough money to feed the poor. Only those will disagree who are not ready to pay taxes

Asmat Jamal | 13 years ago | Reply Clergy is a band wagon of free loader by birth. Jamat Islami instead of encouraging people to work and earn "rizq e halal" wants the nation to endure on grants and alms. Jamat Islami, a long time bed fellow of Capitalists had damaged the society. It should stop doing so and help Pakistan in over coming its problems. I would also request Professor Khursheed to resign from senate as he has been elected on the Quota of Pakhtunkhwa to Senate but he does not belong to that ill fated Province.

Asmat Jamal | 13 years ago | Reply Molvi is a free loader by birth. Jamat Islami instead of encouraging people to work and earn "rizq e halal" wants the nation to endure on grants and alms. Jamat Islami, a long time bed fellow of Capitalists had damaged the society. It should stop doing so and help Pakistan in over coming its problems. I would also request Professor Khursheed to resign from senate as he has been elected on the Quota of Pakhtunkhwa to Senate but he does not belong to that ill fated Province. Molvies should also seek clemency from the People of Pakhtunkhwa for selling their mandate.

Peace lover | 13 years ago | Reply This sounds good for the start of a true welfare state.

Naeem Siddiqui,Australia | 13 years ago | Reply All Kind of Social security need a huge amount of fund and that fund could only be collected by Tax revenue. In Australia they have an institution nammed Centrelink who is responsible for all kind of social security, Last years Centrelink's budget was $120 billion dollars and this is only possible becouse a common Australian pays an average of 33% of their icome as tax. Are Pakistanis ready to do that!!?? Could JI will explain what would be the cost of their proposed social security bill, how would they collect fund for this proposed social security how would they implement and distribute all thos social security????? For me its seems an empty publicity stunt by JI :)

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