Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation Mian Raza Rabbani has urged the government to declare 2023 as the Golden Jubilee Year of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan.

Speaking on the floor of the Upper House of the Parliament on Tuesday, the veteran PPP leader said “The Constitution, passed on April 10, 1973, was authenticated on April 12 and promulgated on August 14 [of the same year.] So, this is the Golden Jubilee Year.”

Raza Rabbani said in that regard he had written a letter to the prime minister requesting to dedicate the whole current year to ‘the Constitution of 1973’, besides arranging seminars and events across the country to create awareness about the Constitution.

He said the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) had already ‘accepted’ 2023 as ‘the Constitution Year,’ and hoped that the government would also consider it in the same way.

Three bills

The Senate referred three bills, passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to the Upper House of the Parliament, to the its Standing Committees for further deliberation on the proposed legislative amendments.

Minister of State for Law and Justice Shahadat Awan, on behalf of Law Minister Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, moved a bill further to amend the Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997 [The Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2022].

He moved another bill, on behalf of Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor, to amend the Publication of the Holy Quran (Elimination of Printing and Recording Errors) Act, 1973 to the extent of Islamabad Capital Territory [The Publication of the Holy Quran (Elimination of Printing and Recording Errors) (Amendment) Bill, 2022].

Advisor to the PM on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Qamar Zaman Kaira on behalf of Minister for Water Resources Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah moved a bill, further to amend the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources Act, 2007 [The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (Amendment) Bill, 2022].

Whereas, Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani deferred a bill that was meant to amend the Trade Organizations Act, 2013 [The Trade Organizations (Amendment) Bill, 2022] after the Minister of State for Law and Justice, conveyed the request of Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar about its deferment for the time being.

Steps under way to overcome shortage of gas

The Senate was informed that ban on expansion in the domestic gas connection is aimed at improving gas supplies and removal of the pricing distortion.

Responding a question in the House today, Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik said the government is taking various steps to overcome the shortage of gas across the country.

He said formulation of policy for the exploration of solid gas is in final stage and after implementation of the policy, we will be able to maintain a smooth supply of gas to domestic consumers.

Later, the House was adjourned to meet again on Friday at 10.30 in the morning.