ISLAMABAD (APP): Caretaker Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi clarified on Tuesday that the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) does not wield more power than the Supreme Court and the Parliament.
In response to a calling attention notice regarding the issuance of a notification on August 23, 2023, which led to the establishment of the CCLC, the minister said, that Senator Raza Rabbani’s concerns on the committee have no reality. Highlighting the legal framework behind the committee’s formation, he said that the committee has been formed as per section 17 (2) of the Rules of Business 1973. According to this sub-section, Committees of the Cabinet may be constituted, and their terms of reference and membership laid down by the Cabinet or the Prime Minister. Such Committees may be standing or special committees; accordingly, as they are appointed to deal with a class of cases or a specific case.
He said that the CCLC’s purpose did not involve making the bills or primary legislation. Instead, it was established for subsidiary rule-making and the facilitation of extreme and emergency government-required legislation as authorized by the law. He said that neither the Constitution nor the law prohibits the issuance of ordinances, citing Article 89 of the Constitution, which permits emergency legislation. He also clarified that the primary role of the committee is to support the functions of the Cabinet Secretariat.
Govt to accept decision of Senate over Motion Pictures (Amendment) Bill 2023: Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi said that the government has great respect for the Senate and would accept the decision of this august house on the introduction of the Motion Pictures (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Responding to a point of order raised by Mian Raza Rabbani, the minister said he had always firmly stood with the constitution, law and democracy adding that there was no possibility of change in the said principles. He said that every bill took sufficient time in the process of preparation and the past government did the necessary work on it. The law ministry and respective legal branch had advised him to present the said bill in the House, the minister said.
Deferring the bill, Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani said that he would give his opinion in this regard besides taking the Attorney General’s point of view. Earlier, on a point of order, Mian Raza Rabbani questioned the legality of introducing a bill by the caretaker minister. Citing section 230 of the Election Act 2017, he maintained that the caretaker government could not do legislation as it was only the job of the elected representatives. He urged the chair not to allow the minister to introduce the bill and remove it from the agenda.
Earlier, speaking in the Senate during question hour, Murtaza Solangi assured the House that all questions of honorable senators would properly be responded to after getting detailed answers from the respective ministries and departments. He said that he had been assigned the charge of Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs yesterday and it was his responsibility to give satisfactory answers to the questions raised by the Senators.
Solangi assumes additional charge of Parliamentary Affairs Ministry: Caretaker Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi on Tuesday assumed additional charge of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
On his arrival at Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Secretary of Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Malik Ghauri and other officials met the caretaker federal minister. On this occasion, Murtaza Solangi was briefed about the working of the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar had assigned the additional charge of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs to Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi yesterday.
Solangi clarifies role, authority of CLCC
