Daily Times

The Senate session on Tuesday was abuzz with the presentation of various standing committee reports and bills related to different ministries which referred to the respective committees for further discussions and deliberations.

Minister of State for Law and Justice, Shahdat Awan, took the floor to present the report of the Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development. The report focused on the bill to amend the Emigration Ordinance, 1979, known as the Emigration (Amendment) Bill, 2023. The proposed amendments are aimed at enhancing regulations concerning overseas Pakistanis.

In addition to this, Minister Awan also presented another report on behalf of the Standing Committee on Railways, chaired by Senator Muhammad Qasim. This report addressed a starred question posed by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed regarding the government’s efforts to restore the railway track from Peshawar to Torkham. Senator Abida Muhammad Azeem, representing the Standing Committee on Communications, chaired by Senator Prince Ahmed Umer Ahmedzai, presented a report on the excessive use of arable land for the construction of the Swat Motorway, raised by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed as a point of public importance.

Senator Fawzia Arshad, speaking on behalf of the Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training, chaired by Senator Irfan ul Haque Siddiqui, presented three reports. The first report focused on the establishment of the Orient Institute of Science and Technology in Gwadar, the second report addressed the amendment to the International Islamic University Ordinance, 1985 while the 3rd report was on the establishment of Harbour Institute of Management, Sciences and Technology. Furthermore, the Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, headed by Senator Muhammad Hamayun Mohmand, presented a report on measures taken by relevant ministry and authorities to prevent the spread of dengue in rural and urban areas of Islamabad. This report was in response to concerns raised by Senator Fawzia Arshad.

He also presented reports on the bills to further to amend the Pharmacy Act, 1967 and to provide for establishment of Prime University of Nursing, Sciences and Technology raised by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed and Senator Naseebullah Bazai respectively. The Senate also witnessed presentations from the Standing Committee on Law and Justice, chaired by Senator Syed Ali Zafar. The committee presented three reports on bills to amend the Constitution, introduced by Senators Kauda Babar and Mushtaq Ahmed.