Government speedily approves 13 bills during NA session

ISLAMABAD: A new record was made in the National Assembly session on Thursday as 13 bills were approved during a single session.

As members of the opposition chanted 'Ordinance unacceptable' and tore copies of the bills presented in the parliament, ministers and parliamentary secretaries kept on presenting bills.

Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri was quick to accept the bills as they kept on coming. A record number of 13 ordinances were presented in one-and-a-half hour out of which nine were approved as bills. Among these were seven bills which were approved by the federal cabinet a day before through ordinances.

Opposition leader and former foreign minister Khawaja Asif slammed the government for making a 'mockery' of the legislative process.

Asif was referring to the approval of 11 out of 15 bills that were presented in parliament today (Thursday).

"Whatever happened today is an insult to the national assembly," he said."The government wrapped up proceedings in 20-25 minutes and postponed proceedings of the assembly."

READ MORE: Khawaja Asif slams govt for 'making a mockery' of legislation

Asif paid tribute to the JUI-F workers who are taking part in the Azadi March dharna.

"Chairman CDA was told to look after participants of the march," he said. "Instead, CDA officials are eating food from Azadi March participants."

Asif accused the government of creating hurdles for the Azadi March participants.

"The water supply in public mosques near the Azadi March has been cut," he said. "Internet services have been disrupted in areas close to the march."

Asif alleged that the government had instructed public hospitals not to treat participants of the Azadi March dharna.

APP adds: The rules were dispensed through passage of motions for immediate consideration of these bills following which these were passed.

These bills were the Medical Tribunal Bill, 2019; the Pakistan Medical Commission Bill, 2019; the Letters of Administration and Succession Certificates Bill, 2019; the Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Bill, 2019;the Legal Aid and Justice Authority Bill, 2019; the Superior Courts (Court Dress and Mode of Address) Order (Repeal) Bill, 2019; the Benami Transaction (Prohibition) (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission Bill, 2019. Two other bills passed by the House after reports of Standing Committees were the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority Bill, 2019. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan laid the Recovery of Mortgage-backed Security Ordinance, 2019. Four bills were referred to the relevant committees after their introduction which were the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the Islamabad Capital Territory Senior Citizens Bill, 2019; the National Highways Safety (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2019.