An ordinary day at the NA

The National Assembly session on Tuesday took up a heavy agenda in a day when one bill was passed unanimously and four private members’ bills were presented to the house with another deferred on the government’s request to evolve consensus among members.
PMDC bill passed: The House unanimously passed The Medical and Dental Council (Amendment) Bill, 2009 moved by Dr Donya Aziz which amends the Medical and Dental Council Ordinance 1962. Under the bill, the PMDC will be authorised to approve the hospitals to ensure quality healthcare facilities.
Bills: Meanwhile, four private members’ bills were tabled in the NA when the house took up business. Justice (r) Fakhr-un-Nisa Khokhar moved The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 to further amend the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898. The bill aims to award strict punishment to those issuing derogatory caricatures of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
Khurram Jahangir Wattoo moved The Compulsory Declaration of Assets Bill, 2012 making it compulsory on every citizen to declare their assets annually.
Tasneem Siddiqui moved The Pakistan Sports Board Bill, 2012 to regulate the development and control of sports in Pakistan at international standards and to constitute the Pakistan Sports Board.
Qudsia Arshad moved The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 to further amend the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.
Meanwhile, a private member’s bill on creation of new provinces in Punjab was deferred on the request of the government. The Amendment Bill, 2012, introduced by PML-Q MNA Riaz Fatiyana, referred to an amendment in Article 1 of the constitution, seeking carving out three provinces from Punjab, namely ‘Punjab’, ‘central Punjab’, and ‘southern Punjab’. Religious Affairs Minister Syed Khursheed Shah termed it a sensitive matter and suggested to defer the bill.
Earlier, a PPP lawmaker Syed Zafar Ali Shah opposed the proposal and said there was no such mention in the constitution. He said he would oppose the bill even if his party decided to support the bill.
PPP MNA Afzal Sindhu also opposed the bill and said India’s example to create new provinces was incorrect. However, PPP MNA Ghulam Farid Kathiya supported the Bill and said new provinces should be created.