Recognition and Enforcement (Arbitration Agreements and Foreign Arbitral Awards) Bill passed

The National Assembly Thursday passed "The Recognition and Enforcement (Arbitration Agreements and Foreign Arbitral Awards) Bill, 2010" to encourage foreign investment in the country and to develop harmonious economic relations in international trade and commence; and "The Boilers and Pressure Vessels (Amendment) Bill, 2009.
The Recognition and Enforcement (Arbitration Agreements and Foreign Arbitral Awards) Bill, 2010 was moved by Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dr Zaheer-ud-Din Babar Awan in the House. According to statement of objectives and reasons of the Bill, the government of Pakistan is a signatory to United Nation Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, 1958 and necessary domestic legislation has to be made so as to enforce the provisions of the Convention.
The Bill makes provisions for Enforcement of Arbitration Agreements and Awards which would encourage foreign investment in the country and help promote harmonious economic relations in international trade and commence. The Boilers and Pressure Vessels (Amendment) Bill, 2009 was moved by Minister for Industries and Production Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani in the House. The House passed the Bill with a minor amendment presented by Chaudhry Saud Majeed of PML-N.
Saud Majeed proposed amendment in the clause II of the Bill that if the government wants to abolish 60-year upper age limit of a boiler engineer then he shall provide certificate of good physical health. Similarly, if the government wants to keep 21-year lower age limit then one year internship must be required, he said.
In the Wednesday sitting when the PML-N objected, Saud Majeed said that in the clause two of the Bill, the government suggested that 60-year upper age be abolished for recruitment of boiler engineers, besides reducing lower age to 21 years in the Bill which can pose serious threat to the lives of workers in the industry. He said that there should be restriction in the upper age limit as a precautionary measure as laxity due to age can endanger lives of others. He said the age limit is included in the ordinance due to accidents and to ensure the safety of the workers.
According to statement of objects and reasons of the Bill, the bill seeks to amend clause (e) of section six of the Boiler and Pressure Vessels Ordinance, 2002 to enable the Boiler Engineers in good health duly certified by a recognised physician to renegotiate their contract with their employers for seeking fresh employment after attaining the age of sixty years.
According to the Bill, Amendment of section six, Ordinance CXXI of 2002:- for the words "and not more than sixty years old or less than twenty five years of age" the words "and not less than twenty one years of age" shall be substituted.