Daily Times

The National Assembly on Thursday debated setting up of a parliamentary committee on electoral reforms to bring improvement and transparency in general elections in 2023.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan moved a motion, empowering the National Assembly speaker to constitute a parliamentary committee comprising members from both opposition and treasury benches on electoral reforms, however the opposition bulldozed the motion.

Shazia Marri of PPP said that similar committee was set up during tenure of past government. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had framed rules in light of the recommendations given by the committee. She said the ECP was an independent constitutional body but alleged that it was being pressurized. “We have to change our perspective,” she said, and added that PPP accepted results of elections despite so many reservations in greater interests of democracy.

Khurram Dastagir of PML-N said the Terms of Reference (TORs) of the proposed committee was not cleared. He alleged that the opposition was not taken into confidence about the proposed committee. He said the opposition would not support the motion moved by the minister.

Responding to the points raised by the opposition members, Minister for Communications Murad Saeed said the PTI government was trying to bring transparency in the electoral process. For this, he said, “we wanted to move forward with consensus.” He, however, regretted the stance of the opposition parties on the electoral reforms.

Meanwhile, National Assembly on Thursday passed eight supplementary resolutions to extend as many ordinances for a further period of 120 days. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan moved a motion to consider the government business which was passed by the House.

Following the passage of this motion, the House passed Ordinances were the Special Technology Zones Authority Ordinance, 2020; the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-Organization) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020; the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020; the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Ordinance 2020; the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020; the National Institute of Health (Re-organization) Ordinance, 2020.; the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 and the Tax Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021.

Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Nosheen Hamid told the National Assembly that prices of drugs are mostly lower in Pakistan as compared to average prices in the region i.e. Bangladesh, Sri-lanka and India. Replying to a question, she said the federal government and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan are cognizant of the impact of increase in prices of drugs and it has been tried at best to allow increase at minimum level as compared to increase in manufacturing/import cost of drugs. Its impact is much lesser than non-availability of drugs, she added.

She said the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, with the approval of Federal Cabinet notified a Drug Pricing Policy-2018 which provides a transparent mechanism for fixation, decrease & increase in MRPs of drugs. Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs) of 562 drugs have been reduced and notified after approval by the Federal government, she said. DRAP has published public notice of reduced prices in national newspapers for information of public. Toll free number and email address have been given in public notice to lodge complaints if any pharmaceutical company or retailer sells any drug at price more than notified.

She said under the auspices of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was assigned the task of procurement of COVID commodities including masks and ventilators. Replying to a question she said, Ministry of Health was providing technical support to NCOC by preparing health system needs based on various modelling, carried out by different modelers/experts. After clearance of NCOC, M/o NHSR&C duly forwards the health system needs and national demands to NDMA for procurement and further distribution among the provinces and federating areas. In the initial phase of pandemic, PPEs ventilators and other equipment were imported from abroad through NDMA to meet the country’s requirement.

To another question, she said 27 firms applied for the grant of Establishment License to manufacture medical devices to DRAP. Out of 27 firms M/s Kolachee International (Pvt) Limited, Karachi, has been granted establishment license to manufacture medical devices i.e. surgical mask by Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan while remaining firms are at different stages of regulatory approval, mostly at the part of manufacturers.

Minister for Communications Murad Saeed informed the National Assembly that National Highway Authority (NHA) Board has sent revised PC-1 of approach roads of Lowari Tunnel to Planning Commission after its approval. Replying to a calling attention notice raised by Moulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali about stoppage of construction work on approach roads of Lowari Tunnel, Chitral, the minister said that a special audit of the project was conducted as the project was launched in 2003 but could not completed despite lapses of 16-17 years. He said the cost of the project has witnessed 336 per cent escalation due to extra-ordinary delay. Work on the project would be resumed soon after the approval of revised PC-1 by the Planning Commission. news desk