NA Speaker authorized to constitute committees on finance, CPEC, Kashmir

Islamabad: The National Assembly on Thursday adopted four motions authorizing the speaker to constitute committees on Finance, China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor project, National Security and a special committee on Kashmir.

Motions to this effect were moved by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan.

Presenting the main functions of the committee on CPEC, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said it will oversee the CPEC related projects and monitor their timely implementation. It will present periodic reports to both Houses of the Parliament.

Presenting terms of reference of the committee on National Security, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said it will discuss issues relating to national security of urgent nature. It will periodically review, monitor and oversee implementation of national action plan against terrorism with a view to ensuring its expeditious implementation.

The committee will monitor process of transition from military courts to civil courts through criminal and justice reforms. It will also present its periodic reports to both houses of the Parliament.

Referring to the functions of the special committee on Kashmir, Ali Muhammad Khan said it will monitor human rights violations and atrocities being committed by Indian forces in Occupied Kashmir and raise them at appropriate fora. It will work to increase awareness about Kashmir dispute both inside and outside the country. The committee will mobilize world opinion in support of right to self-determination of people of Jammu and Kashmir as well as the principled stand of Pakistan on it. It will make efforts to monitor and improve the performance of the organizations working on Kashmir.

The Speaker will constitute the committees on CPEC, National Security and Kashmir in consultation with the Chairman Senate and the Parliamentary Leaders.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan laid before the House the Fiscal and Debt Policy Statements for the year 2018-19.

The House passed a resolution recommending the government to take steps to constitute power division and Petroleum division as two separate ministries instead of their current status as divisions under the ministry of energy.

The resolution was moved by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders including Khurshid Shah and Pervaiz Ashraf strongly condemned the arrest of Sindh Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani.

Responding to their points, Minister of Education Shafqat Mahmood said national accountability bureau is an independent institution and we have nothing to do with its actions. He regretted that the opposition parties are now declaring NAB law as black law but they failed to bring amendments in it in their respective tenures. He said the Parliament cannot be used to provide shield to the corrupt elements.