Senate unanimously passes Privatization Commission Amend Bill

In a rare show of unity, the Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed Privatization Commission (Amendment) Bill 2025, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The bill was introduced in the House by PM’s Adviser on Privatization Muhammad Ali.

Minister of State for Interior Muhammad Talal Chaudhry informed the Senate that 19 prisoners escaped from police custody over the past four years, of whom 15 have since been rearrested.

Responding to various questions during Question Hour, he said disciplinary and criminal action was taken against 32 police officers for negligence and violations of standard operating procedures (SOPs).

The minister said that four escaped prisoners were still at large, adding that efforts were under way to apprehend them.

He said departmental action had been initiated against 32 police officials found responsible for lapses in custody management, with major punishments awarded to 17 officers.

He said that 13 criminal cases had also been registered against police personnel whose negligence contributed to the escapes.

The minister explained that investigations revealed failures in following SOPs related to the production of accused persons before courts and their transfer from one place to another, which led to the incidents. “Wherever negligence was established, strict action was taken without discrimination,” he added.

Replying to a supplementary question by Senator Talha Mahmood, the minister clarified that there was no room in Islamabad for illegal or private detention.

He said all arrested suspects were produced before courts within 24 hours, in accordance with the law.

Appointment of HEC chairman to be made on open merit

Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar informed the Senate of Pakistan that the process for the appointment of the Chairman of the Higher Education Commission was being restarted to ensure selection on open merit.

Responding to a question raised by Senator Kamran Murtaza, the minister said the government had earlier initiated the appointment process and conducted interviews through a search committee. However, he said it was felt that another round of the process was required keeping in view the wide-ranging and critical functions of the HEC, including curriculum oversight, regulation of universities and maintenance of academic standards.

He clarified that the HEC could not be termed dysfunctional in the absence of a permanent chairman, as it was a statutory commission whose meetings were not dependent solely on the chairman’s presence.

He said the Executive Director played a key role in managing day-to-day affairs, while provisions for an acting chairman also existed under the law.

Azam Nazeer Tarar said the Prime Minister was personally overseeing the process to ensure that the most competent individual was appointed strictly on merit.
The minister further clarified that the post of HEC chairman was an open-merit position and not subject to provincial rotation or quota.

He said if a qualified professor from Balochistan met the merit criteria and was selected, it would be welcomed, but the appointment would be made purely on merit.

Reporter Usman Khan