Islamabad; October 17, 2017: The Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs met today under the Chairpersonship of Dr. Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal, MNA to discuss the proposed agenda.

The Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs briefed the Committee about the functioning and working of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. He informed that that Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs was created in 2012, after bifurcation of its business from the Ministry of Law and Justice. He added that Public Affairs and Grievance Wing was transferred from Prime Minister’s Office to Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs on 11.06.2013.

He further apprised the Committee that Ministry of Parliamentary Affair was playing vital role amongst the organs of the state, namely, the executive and legislature with the objective of holding sessions of the parliament, leading to smooth passage of Law, including summoning and prorogation of both the houses of the Parliament, introduction of Bills, transmission of Bills between the Houses and seeking assent of the President to notify enactments.

The Committee considered the “The Representation of the people (Amendment) Act, 2016”. The Additional Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan informed the Committee that subject clauses have already been incorporated in the Election Act, 2017. Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan, MNA/mover of the Committee withdraws the Bill. The Committee directed the ECP for comprehensive briefing on the Election Act, 2017 in its next meeting. The Committee also recommended that PIA management would be called in the next meeting to discuss the problems being faced by the Parliamentarians.

The Committee directed the ECP to brief the Committee with regard to delimitation process in its next meeting. The Committee also directed to ECP for the training their Returning Officers (ROs) and District Returning Officers (DROs). The Committee was informed by the Additional Secretary, ECP that 50 newly appointed officers/officials would be joined ECP, shortly.

Malik Ihtebar Khan, Sheikh Muhammad Akram, Mian Tariq Mehmood, Mr. Rasheed Ahmad Khan, Ch. Salman Haneef Khan, Ms. Shazia Mubashar, Ms. Arifa Khalid Parvez, Ms. Belum Hasnain, Ms. Shahida Rehmani, Dr. Shazia Sobia, Ms. Saman Sultana Jafri, Sayed Essa Nori and Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan MNAs attended the meeting. The meeting was also attended by senior officers of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.