NA body disposes of bill for land reforms

Approves recommendations of sub-committee on ‘The Protection of Journalists Bill, 2014’

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage on Thursday disposed of a bill for land reforms in the country.

The 47th meeting of the committee, held under the chairmanship of MNA Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla, unanimously recommended that ‘The Redistributive Land Reforms Bill, 2017’ may not be passed by the assembly.

Earlier, MNA S A Iqbal Qadri, mover of the bill, had opined that it was the responsibility of the state to ensure that wealth was not accumulated in a few hands as presently 30% of the land was in the hands of only 1% people.

Opposing the bill, Federal Land Commission, Chief Commissioner, Mian Khalid Karim said that the commission had already moved a bill which was being vetted by the Law Division.

“The matter is sub judice as a case is pending in the Supreme Court,” he added.

A representative of the Law Division said that no legislation could be done at federal level as it was the domain of provinces.

He also cited a ruling of the Supreme Court that the “state cannot fix land limit and legally inherited land cannot be acquired by the state”.

The NA standing committee also approved the recommendations of the sub-committee on ‘The Protection of Journalists Bill, 2014’, moved by MNA Sahibzada Tariqullah.

Lok Virsa Executive Director Dr Fauzia Saeed briefed the committee at length about the steps taken by Lok Virsa for the promotion, preservation and protection of cultural history and national heritage.

The committee appreciated the steps and efforts made by the Lok Virsa’s management.

The executive director also presented budgetary allocation and its utilisation by the Lok Virsa in written form for perusal of the committee members, who recommended presenting the same at power point in its next meeting.

Later, the committee members visited the Culture Heritage Museum maintained by the management of Lok Virsa. They were briefed by the representative about the dioramas and various other monuments displayed in the museum, representing various cultural heritage and civilisations.

The committee members appreciated the efforts and steps taken and planned to be taken by the Lok Virsa management.

The committee recommended that short video clips from the Lok Mela or other events organised by the Lok Virsa for promotion of culture should be uploaded to YouTube so that it could be easily accessible by the public at large.

The committee also recommended initiating Lok Mela festivals at district level across the country to create awareness among the young generation about the cultural history of the country.

Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, Muhammad Khan Daha, Mian Muhammad Farooq, Tahir Iqbal Ch, Zeb Jaffar, Ch Muhammad Tufail and senior officers of the Ministry of Information and Lok Virsa were also in attendance.