Bill on cards to increase Balochistan seats in NA

Senate chairman says a draft bill proposes increase in Provincial Assembly seats to 80

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani has said a bill will be introduced in the coming session of the upper house of parliament to increase Balochistan’s seats in the national as well as the provincial legislatures.

“Consultation is being held with all the parties in parliament in this regard,” Sanjrani said on Wednesday while talking to the officials and chairmen of various committees of the Balochistan Assembly who called on him at the Parliament House, a press release said.

Members of the delegation that met the chairman were attending a capacity building event titled “Essentials of Effective Committee Performance for the Chairs and members of the provincial assembly of Balochistan” at the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS).

Sanjrani said in the draft bill there is a proposal to increase number of Balochistan’s National Assembly seats to 30 and that of the Balochistan Assembly seats to 80.

“There is a need for strong linkages and coordination among the provincial assemblies, the National Assembly and the Senate for promoting democratic and parliamentary traditions in the country.”

He said the upper house of parliament will continue to play its effective role for this coordination among the federating units. “The committee system in the Senate is very proactive and we are trying to share our experience with the provincial assemblies for effective lawmaking at the provincial level.”

He said PIPS would also organise courses for the bureaucracy and secretaries of the provincial assembly and its committees as well as members of the provincial assemblies.

Sanjrani said the Institute would also arrange special training for a joint group of the members of all provincial assemblies in Gwadar with the assistance of UNDP.

“An amendment is also under consideration for making a parliamentary course mandatory for all the officers of the federal and provincial governments as well as other public sector organisations to create awareness about the working of parliament and implementation of the relevant laws.”

Earlier, the Senate Additional Secretary Hafeezullah Shaikh briefed the delegation about the working of the committee system in the upper house.  The delegation was headed by Ahsan Shah and included MPAs Ahmad Nawaz Baloch, Qadir Ali Nayel, Akbar Mengal, Balochistan Assembly Secretary Safdar Hussain, Special Secretary Tahir Shah Kakar and PIPS Executive Director Rashid Mafzool Zaka.

(with additional input from app)

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd, 2019.