money bill: Senators demand more powers for upper house
Adopts resolution calling for withdrawing Rs5,000 banknote.
Senate chairman Raza Rabbani. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
The upper house of parliament on Monday passed a resolution to make necessary amendment in the Constitution for authorising the Senate to approve money bill including the finance bill.
It also passed another resolution to withdraw Rs5,000 denomination
currency notes with a majority vote.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Senator Azam Swati said that the Senate is a joint platform of all the federating units and it should have more powers than the National Assembly.
Expressing similar views, Pakistan Peoples Party’s legislator Farhatullah Babar said that the upper house was powerless without authority to pass financial matters.
Pashtunkhwa Mille Awami Party’s Usman Kakar claimed that Bangladesh would not have come into being had the Senate been there. He said the upper house would have had the power to impeach the prime minister.
Law Minister Zahid Hamid questioned what would be the fate of a government in case a money bill is rejected in the Senate. He said that while considering financial authority for the house, parliamentarians should also keep other aspects in mind too.
Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani stressed that the upper house’s powers should be increased in the interest of the federation. The house also passed a resolution moved by Usman Saifullah asking for necessary steps for withdrawing Rs5,000 currency notes to check circulation of illegal money, promote the use of bank accounts and to reduce the volume of undocumented economy.
Opposing the bill, Hamid said that business activities will suffer if the Rs5,000 currency notes were withdrawn. “India is already facing difficulties with such a step,” he added. The house also passed the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Trade Organisations Bill moved by Salim Mandviwala. The bill was supported by 30 senators and opposed by 12 members.
Mohsin Leghari said that the borrower, who does not pay back loan, will get a stay order against the lender from the court and the case will continue for a long period. He said that if this bill is passed, national banks will stop offering loans out of fear of losing their money.
PPP Senator Rehman Malik said action should also be taken against those who misuse the laws.
The chairman handed over the transplantation of human organs and tissues, registration and regularisation of private educational institutions bills and an amendment in Article 251 for giving Sindhi, Punjabi, Pashto, Seraiki, Brahvi and Hindko the status of national languages along with Urdu to relevant standing committees. (TRANSLATION BY ARSHAD SHAHEEN)
Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2016.
The upper house of parliament on Monday passed a resolution to make necessary amendment in the Constitution for authorising the Senate to approve money bill including the finance bill.
It also passed another resolution to withdraw Rs5,000 denomination
currency notes with a majority vote.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Senator Azam Swati said that the Senate is a joint platform of all the federating units and it should have more powers than the National Assembly.
Expressing similar views, Pakistan Peoples Party’s legislator Farhatullah Babar said that the upper house was powerless without authority to pass financial matters.
Pashtunkhwa Mille Awami Party’s Usman Kakar claimed that Bangladesh would not have come into being had the Senate been there. He said the upper house would have had the power to impeach the prime minister.
Law Minister Zahid Hamid questioned what would be the fate of a government in case a money bill is rejected in the Senate. He said that while considering financial authority for the house, parliamentarians should also keep other aspects in mind too.
Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani stressed that the upper house’s powers should be increased in the interest of the federation. The house also passed a resolution moved by Usman Saifullah asking for necessary steps for withdrawing Rs5,000 currency notes to check circulation of illegal money, promote the use of bank accounts and to reduce the volume of undocumented economy.
Opposing the bill, Hamid said that business activities will suffer if the Rs5,000 currency notes were withdrawn. “India is already facing difficulties with such a step,” he added. The house also passed the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Trade Organisations Bill moved by Salim Mandviwala. The bill was supported by 30 senators and opposed by 12 members.
Mohsin Leghari said that the borrower, who does not pay back loan, will get a stay order against the lender from the court and the case will continue for a long period. He said that if this bill is passed, national banks will stop offering loans out of fear of losing their money.
PPP Senator Rehman Malik said action should also be taken against those who misuse the laws.
The chairman handed over the transplantation of human organs and tissues, registration and regularisation of private educational institutions bills and an amendment in Article 251 for giving Sindhi, Punjabi, Pashto, Seraiki, Brahvi and Hindko the status of national languages along with Urdu to relevant standing committees. (TRANSLATION BY ARSHAD SHAHEEN)
Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2016.