ISLAMABAD: Top bureaucrats from the ministries of foreign affairs, cabinet division and law and justice Thursday came under severe criticism from the lawmakers for their stiff-necked and conservative approach, lack of proper preparedness and comprehensive briefing over technical issues regarding a bill seeking parliamentary oversight in the ratification of international treaties.
The observations were made by lawmakers during the meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs held here under the Chairmanship of Awais Khan Leghari to discuss the agenda items accordingly.
The Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cabinet Division and Ministry of Law & Justice briefed the Committee on the Ratification of International Treaties Bill, 2013, moved by the Dr Shireen Mazari.
Additional Secretary and legal advisor of Ministry of Foreign Affairs caught ire of the committee chairman Awais Leghari when they failed to brief the committee on a host of questions raised about the precedence of the countries where any international treaty needs a nod of the parliament for ratification.
The Chairman asked the respective Ministries/Divisions to prepare more comprehensive briefing regarding the proposed bill in the next meeting and also send their inputs in-writing to the Committee for the perusal of the Committee Members.
Dr Mazari said that in a parliamentary democracy, the parliament is supreme and hence its vetting is a must for ratification of any international treaty. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Ghaus Bux Mehr and others also supported the views shared by Dr Mazari, saying that the normal practice was that the cabinet’s ratification is made even after the prime minister signs any such treaty without any input from the parliament.
The committee decided to defer the bill for next hearing, asking the bureaucrats to brief the committee over questions raised by members in the next hearing.
During the meeting, the Chairman remarked that the grant of Rs 500 million by the foreign ministry for the financial year 2017-18 could not be approved by the committee since the PC-II is not part of the information provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Therefore, he added, the consideration on this agenda item cannot proceed unless the PC-II is provided at the next meeting for formal consideration and approval.
The briefing by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the recent trilateral meeting involving China, Russia and Pakistan for Afghanistan peace process also deferred for the next meeting.
The Chairman also introduced a Resolution to demonstrate solidarity with the Government and People of the Republic of Azerbaijan which was unanimously approved by the Standing Committee. The resolution, a copy of which is available with Pakistan Today, condemned the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia and the genocide committed by Armenian armed forces in the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly on February 26, 1992, against the civilian population.
The Committee re-affirmed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders and demanded implementation of resolutions of the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly on immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of all Armenian forces from all the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and calls upon the international community and international organizations to urge Armenia for the implementation of these decisions.
The Committee expressed support for the efforts of the Republic of Azerbaijan to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by peaceful means.