Federal cabinet asks legislative panel not to overstep its powers

Centre asks Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases to give legal opinion about bills, rules

ISLAMABAD:

The federal cabinet has instructed the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases to limit itself to reviewing bills and rules and giving legal opinion about them and to stop amending the bills proposed by different ministries.

According to sources, some ministers in the latest cabinet meeting raised objection to the amendments and omission made in some proposed bills by the cabinet committee, led by Minister for Law Dr Farogh Naseem, and claimed that the panel was overstepping its authority.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on July 30 notified the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases “to examine the cases of fresh legislation as well as amendments to the existing laws and give its recommendations whether they are to be introduced in the parliament.”

The panel was also to review all cases relating to the rules proposed to be framed or amended by the federal government, subject to ratification by the cabinet.

Some federal cabinet members in the recent cabinet meeting, however, noted that the committee has raised questions about the policy of some bills rather than giving its opinion about the legal status of the relevant ministry’s recommendations.

They said if the amendments recommended by the committee in the Pakistan Investment Bonds Rules 2000 are adopted, the Ministry of Finance will lose its power.

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood also noted that the committee overstepped its authority when it amended the recommendations of his ministry with regard to the Pakistan Global Institute, Rawat.

The federal cabinet later asked the committee to withdraw its amendments to the Pakistan Investment Bonds Rules 2000, stating that the panel cannot raise questions about the policy of a bill or rule.

Only give legal opinion on ministries’ recommendations as amendment to legislation is only the prerogative of the relevant ministry, the cabinet told the law panel.