After receiving positive signals from the opposition for conditional support to the government’s 20th Amendment Bill, the treasury benches on Friday deferred the bill for Monday in respect of 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal, the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The announcement was made by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani during the National Assembly session, stating that the meeting of the Lower House scheduled for February 4 to pass the 20th Constitutional Amendment Bill had been postponed keeping in mind the sanctity of the day. The bill was placed on the agenda of the Lower House but was deferred on a request made by opposition MP Sahibzada Fazal Karim. This would be the third time that the 20th Amendment Bill was deferred.
Religious Affairs Minister Khursheed Shah said the bill would now be presented in the House on February 6 (Monday), when it would be passed. He said the government would also make an effort to win support from the opposition parties on the bill to make it a unanimous amendment. Meanwhile, referring to a point of order raised by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) legislator Aasia Nasir about strike of doctors and paramedics at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital, the prime minister announced grant of one basic salary to the doctors and paramedics working in the federal hospitals in addition to their existing salaries with effect from January 2012. He said the announcement of grant of one additional basic pay to the health officials was part of efforts to provide better facilities to them.
The National Assembly was also told that despite the devolution of health subjects to the provinces, the federal government was taking steps to curb the use of spurious drugs and quackery in the country.
Responding to a calling-attention notice moved by Nawab Abdul Ghani Talpur and others, Professional and Technical Training Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada told the House that district health and drug officers in the provinces were responsible for arresting quacks and verifying their degrees. He said the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration had been asked to curb quackery in the federal area and in this regard, raids had been conducted in various sectors. He said during the last year, action was taken against 33 illegal licence holders and drugstores. The minister emphasised the need for the enactment of a law envisaging stern punishment for fake doctors.
He said the federal and the provincial government also needed to work in tandem and launch a joint campaign against the companies involved in production of spurious drugs. Responding to another calling-attention notice moved by Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and others, Pirzada said a summary had been sent to the Finance Ministry for the release of supplementary grant to the Federal Directorate of Education, Islamabad. He assured the House that the funds would be released to the Federal Directorate of Education within a month for the payment of House hiring allowance to the employees.
The House also offered fateha for the departed soul of the former Pir Pagara, Shah Mardan Shah.
Government defers 20th Amendment Bill until Monday
