ISLAMABAD: The Upper House of Parliament on Friday passed one government bill and declined three adjournment motions appearing on ‘Orders of the Day’.
Minister for Science and Technology Rana Tanveer Hussain moved the National University of Technology Bill, 2017 which was passed by the House after clause by clause reading.
Meanwhile, three adjournment motions appearing on the agenda were not admitted and two reports of Standing Bodies were presented in the House.
The Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani rejected an adjournment motion moved by Senator Dr Ashok Kumar which was regarding an incident of killing of two real brothers namely Dileep Maheshwari and Chandur Maheshwari in broad daylight at Mitthi, Sindh. The Chair said that it is a provincial subject and does not fulfil criteria for being admitted.
Another adjournment motion sponsored by Senator Sherry Rehman was dropped due to her absence which was about trade deficit of the country which has soared to 18 billion dollars during the first half of the current Fiscal Year.
About another adjournment motion jointly sponsored by PkMAP Senators Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar, Sardar Muhammad Azam Khan Musakhel and Gul Bashra was disposed of as the Chair asked to raise the issue in the meeting of the Committee of the Whole being held on February 13, 2018. It was regarding the passage of Bill by the National Assembly regarding the extension of the jurisdiction of Supreme Court of Pakistan and Peshawar High Court in FATA.
On behalf of Chairman Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, a member of the committee Khushbakht Shujat presented the report of the Committee on the point of public importance raised by Senator Samina Saeed on November 24, 2017, regarding ATR Plane crashed during the flight from Chitral to Islamabad.
Chairman, Functional Committee on Devolution Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmed Muhammad Shahi presented report of the Committee on a Public Petition referred by the Office of Chairman Senate on November 17, 2017, regarding “implementation of 18th Constitutional Amendment in the Higher Education Sector confining role of Federal HEC in formulation of standards and enhancing legitimate role of Provincial Governments especially in funding and implementation of Higher Education Policy”.
The House passed five motions to grant an extension to four Senate Committees for the presentation of their as many reports.
The House did not take-up a Calling Attention Notice due to the absence of its mover Senator Maulana Hafiz Hamdullah.
Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan presented the First Quarterly Report for the year 2017-2018 of the Central Board of Directors of the State Bank of Pakistan on the state of Pakistan’s Economy.