Chairman Sanjrani refers new auto policy matter to standing committee
ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Monday passed two private member bills – the Post Office Bill, 2019 and the Islamabad Community Integration Bill, 2019.
During a meeting of the Senate chaired by its Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, MQM Senator Khushbakht Shujaat moved the bill to repeal and enact the law relating to postal services while PML-N’s Rana Maqbool Ahmad moved the community integration bill in the house.
Under the post office bill, the postal services law would be strengthened in accordance with the demands and requirements of modern times and the Pakistan Post services would be brought at par with international courier and logistics service providers. It also lays emphasis on creating a fruitful environment of market competitiveness.
Moreover, it also aims at protecting the rights and interests of the consumers in terms of quality, accessibility, affordability, safety and security in line with other market competitors.
On the other hand, the community bill calls for establishment of subcommittees of 10 people, elected on a non-party basis, for every 100 houses in an urban area or village. There would also be committees for every 2,000 houses.
According to the statement of object and reasons of the bill, “It is a strategy for [bringing] social change by introducing 'Rifahi Community System' – establishing small community units ie one sub-sector in a locality in urban area and one village in the rural areas with cooperation-based mechanism. The cooperation is giving social responsibility to one person to take care of hunger, non-availability of medicine, acute frustration owing to social estrangement and isolation.”
Further, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Muhammad Azam Khan Swati informed the meeting that the government had approved a new auto policy and some 18 vehicle-manufacturing units had also been set up in the country.
On the situation arising due to decline in the sale of cars and other vehicles in the country, the minister said as many as five units were already in the production lines.
“Two Korean and five Chinese auto companies are also included in setting up their units in Pakistan,” he added.
On high rates of vehicles, the minister said the prices depended on demand and supply of the commodity. “The prices of vehicles also witnessed an upward trend due to depreciation of the Pak rupee,” he added.
On Swati’s request, the Senate chairman referred the matter to the concerned standing committee, “owing to its importance”.
Earlier moving the motion, Kalsoom Parveen said two leading car manufacturers in the country had shut down their units, resulting in a crisis in the auto sector. “Hundreds of thousands of workers have lost their jobs. Import of second-hand vehicles has also been banned, which has further aggravated the situation,” she said.
Taking part in the debate, Atiq Sheikh said the auto production was closed in the country under a pre-planned strategy. He said the prices of vehicles were very high in the country due to “a certain mafia”.
Meanwhile, a private member bill to amend the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan [The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019] -- amendments to Articles 213 and 215 – was introduced in the house. The bill was moved by Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qayyum. The chairman referred the bill to the concerned standing committee.
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