ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League(N) has presented Hazara province bill in the Senate, seeking support from the opposition and government Senators for the approval of the bill.
Senator Sabir Shah of PML(N) moved the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2022, which requires creation of a separate province for the people of Hazara.
On Monday, Senate also passed three private-member bills; The Guardians and Wards (Amendment) Bill 2020, The Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill 2022 and The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2021, moved by the senators from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
In the absence of Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani, Deputy Chairman Senate Mirza Muhammad Afridi presided over the Senate session. Sabir Shah’s bill on the creation of Hazara province has been referred to the relevant standing committee, which is a formality before the approval of the bill in the Senate.
If Senate passes bill, it would have to be approved by the National Assembly with two-third majority each, which will pave the way for signing the law by the president of Pakistan.
Farooq Naek from PPP moved The Guardians and Wards (Amendment) Bill 2020, following its passage from the relevant standing committee, which was passed by the house. The bill seeks to “codify and clarify existing case law and afford protection to mothers” in relation to the custody of their children.
Senator Shahadat Awan of PPP presented the other two bills; The Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill 2022 and The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2021, which were approved by the house.
The revised law, Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill 2022 give authority to a police officer of the rank of assistant sub-inspector (ASI) or equivalent to search/arrest any individual suspected of having drugs in their possession.
Meanwhile, the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2021 will streamline the practices pertaining to admissibility of evidence in criminal cases.
The other bills which were presented in the Senate are The Prevention and Rehabilitation of Vagrants Bill 2022, The Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill 2022, The China Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority (Amendment) Bill 2022, The Right to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill 2022, The Public Private Partnership Authority (Amendment) Bill 2022 and The Special Technology Zones Authority (Amendment) Bill 2022.
“The Senate of Pakistan is cognizant of the general principle of law that ‘ignorance of law is not an excuse’ ie, maxim Ignoranta Juris Non Excusant, and the upper House recommends that each ministry/division of the government shall immediately publish their respective updated laws, rules and regulations on their websites and in case of any amendment, update and publish the same for the use of general public,” reads Awan’s resolution.
