Daily Times

The Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Friday unanimously approved the Islamabad Capital Territory Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Bill, 2022 presented by Senator Fawzia Arshad after detailed deliberation.

The committee which met with Mohsin Aziz in the Chair discussed Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022 (Addition of new Sections 52B, 512, 513 and 514 to PPC and Amendments to Schedule II of CrPC). The bill aimed at bringing the perpetrators of the heinous crime of enforced disappearances to justice so as to provide some relief to the families whose loved ones have gone missing. The bill has already passed by the National Assembly.

The Interior Secretary would be informed the meeting that would be held soon on the proposed bill under the headship of the Law Minister. He requested the committee to postpone consideration of the bill. The Law Ministry officials were of the view that the amendments proposed in the bill were already there in the existing law and there was no need for new legislation in this regard.

The chairman committee deferred the discussion on the bill for one month according to the opinion of the committee members.

The Anti-Rape (Investigation and Prosecution) (Amendment) Bill, 2022 (insertion of new sections 24A, 24B and 24C) moved by Senator Mohsin Aziz was considered. The purpose of the bill is to monitor the movement of persons involved in sex crimes within the country.

Minister of State for Law, Senator Shahadat Awan, opposed the approval of the bill without consulting the provinces. The committee members approved the bill with a majority vote.

Capital Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2022 introduced by Senator Fawzia Arshad was also reviewed.

The purpose of the bill is to determine the persons responsible and punishment for delay in completion of housing projects in different sectors of the federal capital.

The CDA officials and Chief Commissioner Islamabad requested to amend several clauses of the bill.

The Chairman Committee said that such a procedure should be devised with regard to these projects that new projects and schemes should not be approved until the completion of the ongoing projects so that grants can be issued to the projects in time. The committee members approved the bill after the necessary amendments.

In the light of the previous instructions of the Committee, the question raised by Senator Fida Muhammad Khan regarding shifting of Libraries Department to Sector H-9 Islamabad was considered.

The Chief Commissioner Islamabad assured the committee that the Director General will be appointed in the concerned department within a week.

The Chairman Committee gave instructions that the seniority of the employees should not be affected by the appointment of the Director General and the transfer of the department.

The committee meeting was attended by Senators, Maula Bux Chandio, Saifullah Abro, Shahadat Awan, Fawzia Arshad, Kamil Ali Agha, Dilawar Khan, Fida Muhammad, Chief Commissioner Islamabad, CDA and officials from Ministry of Interior.