Bill tabled in NA for census every 10 years
By: Javaid-ur-Rahman
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Tuesday admitted a private member bill to bind the government for holding census after every 10 years, terming it basis for political and social development of the country. Apart from ‘The Census (amendment) Bill, 2012’, the Lower House of the parliament also admitted another bill titled ‘Acid Throwing and Burn Crime Bill, 2012’.
The Census (amendment) Bill, 2012’ moved by PPP legislator Yasmeen Rehman, was strongly supported by MQM legislator by saying that Supreme Court (SC) should take suo moto notice on this matter. The bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Finance. Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi directed the chairman of the committee to submit report on the bill on the first private member day of the next session as the bill was of extreme importance.
The bill seeks amendment in Census Ordinance 1959 under which the census may be held after every ten years. However, in the bill, she proposed that it should be made binding on the federal government after every ten years. The ‘Acid Throwing Bill, 2012’ moved by PML-Q’s lawmaker Dr Attiya Inayatullah with nine other women legislators was also referred by the House to the concerned committee. The acid attack bill says that the amount of fine imposed by the court will be realised as per normal procedure under the criminal law, and part of such recovered sums will be paid to the victim as compensation. It further says whosoever attempts to commit an offence of acid attack or burn attack shall be punished with imprisonment.T
he House once again put on hold amended rules to empower itself by having a greater say in national budget-making as the treasury and opposition remained confused how to deal with the issue and finally referred it to a concerned house committee for submission of a report in this regard in the next 10 days. The proposed amendment by an opposition member from the PML-N is pending for more than seven months. The amendment in rules of procedures and conduct of business, moved by the PML-N legislator Anosha Rehman seeks to empower the lower house and its standing committee on national budget-making by recommending that house will finalise recommendations in pre-budget session latest by 5th March.
The recommendation may be incorporated by the concerned ministry in its budget proposals for next fiscal year, it says. A Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)) legislator on Tuesday during the National Assembly (NA) session also called for constructing dams to save Pakistan from severe drought.“Rulers have become senseless and it seems that a conspiracy is being hatched against Pakistan to turn the country barren.
Construct a dam which can be helpful in country’s development,” PML-N legislator Abid Sher Ali expressed his sentiments in his usual aggressive fashion on the second private members day of the 48th session of Lower House.“It is remarked that dam would be built on our dead bodies and at the same time government is turning a blind eye to the woes and worries of the people,” he said without naming any ‘specific dam’.
He further proposed to convert Rs80 billion, being spent on Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), to overcome power and gas crises. He said the matter to scrap Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project should be shared with the parliament. Taking floor on a point of order, JUI-F legislator Maulvi Asmat Ullah said any proposal to charge bills from mosques and seminaries would not be accepted. “We will not accept any increase in the bills of mosques and seminaries at any cost,” he maintained.
On this, the deputy speaker clarified that no such proposal had come under discussion as yet. PPP’s young lawmaker Jamshaid Dasti, on a point of order, came down hard on principal secretary to prime minister by saying that he was not giving importance to MNAs. “We are being disgraced because of PM Raja Pervaiz Ashraf as it never happened in past era of PPP government,” he said, adding that this attitude would was unacceptable.
Another MNA from PML-Q Sheikh Waqas Akram, on another point of order, informed the House that armed Uzbek militants were accompanying the chief of a banned outfit and were freely roaming in the country. He dubbed them as the enemy of states and in an emotional tone even demanded cursing them.
Earlier, in response to a call-attention notice regarding sale and auction of precious Gandhara artifacts at the museums of Western countries, PPP’s chief whip Khurshid Shah said an investigation in this regard was underway.“I will write a letter to foreign affair ministry to earmark one per cent in budget for the security of these items,” he said.MQM legislator Abdul Rashid Godel, on a point of order, said many bureaucrats were dual national and chief justice should take notice of the same.The House observed one-minute silence in memory of a Swedish social worker Bargeeta Almby who died few days ago after she was attacked in Lahore.
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