Senate panel to seek legal opinion on PC amendment bill

The Senate Standing Committee on Privatisation summoned on Monday the law and justice secretary to the next meeting to brief the members on the amendments proposed in a bill pertaining to the Privatisation Commission (PC).

During a committee meeting, chaired by Shameem Afridi, former chairman of the upper house of parliament opposed an amendment, which sought to replace “federal government” with “prime minister” to a clause about the appointment of the chairman, secretary and members of the PC.

The meeting reviewed the Privatisation Commission Amendment Bill, which was tabled in the Senate on June 23, 2021, following its passage by the National Assembly. PC officials informed the committee that bill proposed four amendments to the PC laws.

The committee was informed that one of the amendments suggested that the word federal government should be changed to Prime Minister of Pakistan and allowing the chief executive of the country to appoint the chairman, secretary and members of the PC.

Senator Rabbani, while referring to a court ruling, argued that the prime minister must not be allowed to surpass the federal government’s jurisdiction. He added that it would set a wrong precedent for the future governments might create complexities in the future.

Senator Irfanul Haq Siddiqui reminded the committee that democratic regulations did not allow the replacement of the word “federal government”. Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar said that the appointments in the PC were an administrative matter and the prime minister could take the decision after discussing it with the cabinet.

Senator Rabbani said that the amendments were exceedingly significant and must be discussed with the law ministry. To this, the chair adjourned the matter until the next meeting, where the law secretary should advise the committee on this issue.

During the session, the PC officials also informed the committee that the PC laws had been amended twice in the past. Responding to a query from the chair, the officials added that one amendment was made by a democratic government, which the other was made by the military regime.

Also Senator Mohsin Aziz said that the performance of the PC during the previous governments had been negligible. He added that the PC’s performance deteriorated after 2008, while in 2014 almost no privatisation took place apart from those in which the country’s foremost institutes were sold.

In the next meeting, the Senate standing committee will also take up the matter pertaining to the privatisation of the Pak-China Fertilizer Company, Haripur.