NA passes four bills

Opp walks out of lower house over Omar Ayub’s bail plea dismissal

ISLAMABAD:

The National Assembly on Monday passed four bills including “the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2024.”

Moving the bill, Federal Mister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar said the PBC Amendment bill is aimed at giving more autonomy to the board of Radio Pakistan to improve its governance and performance.

The other bills passed by the house including, “The Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2024”, “The Pakistan Postal Services Management Board (Amendment) Bill, 2024” and “The National Highway Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

Meanwhile, the opposition staged a walkout from the National Assembly in protest against police actions that prevented PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub from appearing before a judge, leading to the dismissal of his bail petition in the May 9 and 10 riots case.

Earlier, a special anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Sargodha dismissed Ayub’s bail petition due to his non-appearance. 

According to his lawyer, Ayub had arrived at the court premises but was stopped by police, resulting in his absence and subsequent dismissal of the bail plea.

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As he was being prevented from entering the court, Ayub told reporters that the police were acting on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s “instructions,” accusing them of taking the special court’s judge "hostage."

In the National Assembly, Omar Ayub, the opposition leader, warned that time could change quickly, saying, “Today, we are the victims, tomorrow it could be you”. He also announced plans to bring a resolution against the Sargodha and Hafizabad police.

Ayub condemned the actions of the Sargodha police, claiming the party leaders were detained on the pretext of a security search, which delayed them for hours. 

He further alleged that intelligence agency personnel had taken the anti-terrorism judge into custody.

The Senate unanimously adopted a motion to pave the way for electing the house standing and functional committees under Rule 174, of rules of the procedure and conduct of business in the Senate 2012.  

Moving the motion in the House, Senator Sherry Rehman said that under Rule 174 of the rules of the procedure and conduct of business in the Senate 2012, that the standing and functional committees may be elected by the Senate comprising members as per the proposed list.           

The House may also authorise the Senate chairman to make changes in the composition of said committees as and when it deems fit, it read. 

Speaking at the forum of the House, Leader of the Opposition Shibli Faraz thanked the treasury and opposition benches for showing solidarity with him, saying that such incidents could not deter their courage.    

He said that the senators should be accommodated in the committees as per their skills and expertise.   

He further said that rules should strictly be followed in the constitution of standing and functional committees of the house.