Islamabad the 15th March, 2019: Meeting for the Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs was held today on 15th March, 2019 at 02:30 p.m. in Committee Room 7 (Fourth Floor), Parliament House, Islamabad.

The meeting commenced with recitation from the Holy Quran. The Chairman, Standing Committee welcomed the Members and participants in the meeting.

The Committee confirmed the minutes of its previous meeting which was held on 19th February, 2019 at 02:00 p.m. in the Committee Room 7 (Fourth Floor), Parliament House, Islamabad.

The Committee was given briefing/performance by the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. The Additional Secretary apprised the Committee that this Ministry is the sole coordinating agency between the Ministries/Divisions and the Parliament. It facilitates the legislative process of the Federal Government and provides linkages between both the Houses and the President. It also facilitates the Election Commission of Pakistan to respond to the queries of the Parliament. It also provides opportunities to the general masses for redressing of their grievances/complaints. It has no attached department or subordinate offices.

The Additional Secretary responded the queries of the Committee Members with reference to grievances and complaints of the people. He apprised the Committee that grievances are resolved in cooperation with Prime-Minister’s Secretariat, Islamabad. The Committee Members expressed their concern over resolution of grievances of the people and the procedure of disposing off the issues upon which the Committee directed the Ministry to provide detailed briefing on the resolved grievances/complaints of the people after every three months.

The Committee discussed the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (Government Bill)  today  and unanimously recommended to pass it  with the following proposed amendment:-

Amendment of section 20, Act XXXIII of 2017,- In the Elections Act, 2017 (XXXIII of 2017), in section 20, after sub-section (2), the following new sub-section shall be inserted, namely:-

                “(2A), For the purpose of delimiting constituencies, for the general seats of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for Tribal Areas two or more separate areas may be grouped into one constituency for their elections to be held in 2019 and bye elections related thereto and thereafter this sub-section shall stand omitted.”.

The Committee also discussed “The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2018” {Substitution of Section 27, Act XXXIII of 2017 (Moved by Moulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, MNA) in its meeting and unanimously recommended to reject the same.

The Chairman, Standing Committee (Mr. Mujahid Ali), Mr. Junaid Akbar, Mr. Jawad Hussain, Mr. Aftab Hussain Siddiqui, Ms. Maleeka Ali Bokhari, Ms. Rukhsana Naveed, Mst. Shaheeen Naz Saifullah, Ms. Zile Huma, Ms, Fouzia Behram, Mr. Aftab Shahban Mirani, Mr. Mahesh Kumar Malani, Ms. Shamsun Nisa, Ms. Shagufta Jumani and Moulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, MNAs/Members of the Standing Committee attended the meeting.