The National Assembly (NA) spokesperson has made a clarification regarding the remarks published in a section of press on January 12, 2017, that it trashed the Unattended Orphans (Rehabilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2016, passed by the Senate.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the NA spokesperson said that the bills starting off in the Senate and transmitted to the NA were processed in the National Assembly Secretariat strictly in accordance with the provisions of Article 70 of the Constitution, read with rules 144, 145 & 146 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007.
He referred to Article 70 which provides that a bill with respect to any matter in the Federal Legislative List may originate in either House and shall, if it is passed, be transmitted to the other House and if it is rejected or is not passed within ninety days of its arrival (and not within 90-days of transmission) in the House, at the request of the House in which it originated, it shall be considered in the joint sitting.
In pursuance of rule 144, NA secretary has circulated every bill among the members of the assembly transmitted by the Senate to the NA. The spokesperson highlighted that under rule 145, at any time after a bill has been circulated, any minister or member may give notice of his intention to move that bill into consideration.
He further stated that under rule 146, on the day on which the motion for consideration is put down in the Orders of the Day, the minister or as the case may be, the member giving notice may move that bill be taken into consideration.
He reiterated that unless any member or a minister gives notice of his intention to move such a motion, no further proceedings can be conducted in this regard.
He also informed that till date, 17 government bills transmitted by the Senate to the present National Assembly were duly processed by the secretariat, considered/passed by the National Assembly and enacted.
The spokesperson said that five private members’ bills referred to the joint sitting were passed as well.
However, 19 private members’ bills were transmitted to the assembly by Senate, which as per rules were circulated among the members and are still awaiting notices for consideration to be given by a member of the assembly under rule 145.
Unless any member gives notice of the same it cannot be processed/considered by the NA.
He categorically emphasised that the Unattended Orphans (Rehabilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2016 on its receipt from the Senate was promptly processed in the National Assembly as it was duly circulated amongst the members, laid before the assembly, referred to the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat for its consideration and report to the assembly which was done accordingly and was also placed on the Orders of the Day.
Therefore the bill was duly and effectively processed as per rules.
Astonishingly, while making the alleged statement of trashing the aforesaid bill by the National Assembly, they forgot that as a consequence of similar parliamentary practices two Bills passed by the National Assembly namely the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the Civil Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2016 were also returned to NA having not been passed by the Senate within ninety days.
