National Assembly passes the Contempt of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) Bill, 2023

ISLAMABAD, May 16 (SABAH): Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar says the coalition government has always tried to extend maximum relief to the masses bearing in mind the country’s international obligations and trends in the international market.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Ishaq Dar referred to the recent reduction made by the government in the prices of petroleum productions including thirty rupees per liter in diesel and twelve rupees per liter in petrol.

Ishaq Dar said reduction in the price of diesel is eleven percent and its price has been slashed from 288 to 258 rupees per liter.

The Finance Minister urged the transporters to reduce their fares keeping in view the reduction made in petroleum products.

He said responsibility rests with all including the provincial governments to ensure that the benefit of this relief reaches the common man genuinely.                                              

On another points raised by Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, Ishaq Dar said the government is working to promote Islamic banking in the country. He pointed out that a committee has been established for promotion of Islamic banking.

The Minister said this committee comprising of eminent scholars is working on a fast track basis to further enhance the scope of Islamic banking which currently stands at twenty one percent. He also alluded to the Islamic products introduced by some banks in the country.

Taking the floor, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that tax cases worth two thousand billion rupees are pending before the judiciary. He said given the economic situation being faced by the country, the courts should settle these cases.

In his remarks, Federal Minister Mian Javed Latif welcomed the passage of the Contempt of Parliament bill by the House. He said PTI Chairman Imran Khan is behind the recent incidents of arson and ransacking of public and private properties. He said those involved in the violent acts need to be brought to justice at all costs.

Meanwhile the National Assembly was informed on Tuesday that awareness campaigns have been launched to check the spread of Monkeypox in the country.

Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services Shazia Sobia Soomro told the House while responding to a Calling Attention Notice that the SOPs and guidelines for this infectious disease are the same as those were for the COVID-19.

She said alerts have been issued to the hospitals to keep the suspected patients in isolation.

The Parliamentary Secretary said two Monkeypox cases were detected on the 17th of last month and these patients were also kept in isolation. She said we are keeping an eye on the situation vis-à-vis this disease.

Two bills were also laid before the House on Tuesday.

These included The Askari Institute of Higher Education Bill and the Metropolitan International Institute of Science and Technology Bill, 2023.

The chair referred the bills to the Standing Committees concerned.

The National Assembly on Tuesday passed the Contempt of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) Bill, 2023. It was moved by Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon.

The bill is aimed at condemning and awarding punishment for the actions that account for breach of the sovereignty and integrity of the Parliament in any form or shade.

Earlier, a meeting of the National Assembly was held under the chairmanship of National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf in which the contempt bill was discussed.

In his remarks, Minister for Education Rana Tanveer Hussain said this legislation was need of the hour, emphasizing that such laws need to be framed which further improve the functioning of the parliament.

Expressing his views, Federal Education Minister Rana Tanveer said the contempt of parliament bill was an important piece of legislation. He said the standing committee rules should also be amended. He complained that officers did not listen to the calls of MPs.

“Earlier, there was no law on insulting parliament. Now we will not accept even insult of committees of parliament,” he said.

Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon, the initiator of the bill, told the House that the contempt bill was very important.

“If anyone insults this house in future, he will be punished. We have been working on this bill for the last four years,” he added. Under the bill, he said, contempt of the House would be punishable with six months imprisonment and a fine up to Rs10 million or both.

“Under this bill, any government or state official can be summoned for contempt of parliament,” he said. A 24-member parliamentary committee will investigate contempt of parliament cases. The committee will include 50 per cent members of the opposition and 50 per cent of the government.

The Contempt Committee will recommend the punishment to the speaker or the Senate chairman on the complaint report, after which the speaker or the Senate Chairman can announce the punishment.

Meanwhile the National Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution recommending that a Hajj advisory committee be constituted to oversee this year’s Hajj arrangements. It was moved by Shagufta Jumani.

According to the resolution, the committee would comprise the Minister for Religious Affairs, chairmen of the standing committees of the National Assembly and the Senate for Religious Affairs and members of both the Houses.

The House also passed the National University for Security Sciences, Islamabad Bill, 2023 and the National Excellence Institute Bill, 2023.