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ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Monday passed three bills; “The China Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority Bill, 2020”, “The Public Private Partnership Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2020” and “The Pakistan Single Window Bill, 2020” and two ordinances were laid before the House amid opposition’s protest.

The government laid “the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Ordinance, 2020” and “the Federal Medical Teaching Institute Ordinance, 2020” before the Lower House of the Parliament.

After the question hours session of the National Assembly, when Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs started laying ordinances and moved the bills in the house for passage, the opposition members stood from their seats and began thumping desks and chanting slogans against the government.

The opposition members encircled the dais of the speaker.

They raised slogans, “free the speaker, free the speaker, wake up speaker, and give relief to the nation from price hike etc.”

The opposition members continued their protest during the legislation.

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser asked the opposition members to speak on the bills, if they wanted but no one spoke on it.

Only PPP lawmaker Syed Naveed Qamar asked the speaker to take the agenda of the opposition.

According to clause 23 of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority Bill, 2020, “No suit prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against the Authority, the Chairperson, Member, Executive Director Operations Executive Director Research, employees, officers, experts, consultants or advisors of the Authority, in respect of anything done or purported to be done in good faith, under the provisions of this Act or the rules and regulations.”

The Bill further described as, the Chairperson of the Authority shall be appointed by the government for a term of four years, on such term and conditions as my be determined by the government.

The chairperson shall be eligible for re-appointment for one additional term of four years. Provided that no person shall be appointed as chairperson for more than two consecutive terms.

Members of the Authority shall be appointed by the prime minister for a term of four years, on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the prime minister.

Upon completion of the first term, each member shall be eligible for re-appointment for one additional term of four years.

The Authority would be responsible for planning, facilitating, coordinating, monitoring and evaluating to ensure implementation of all activities related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor; ensuring inter-provincial and inter-ministerial coordination; organizing and coordinating meetings of Joint Cooperation Committee and Joint Working Groups; conducting sectoral research for informed decision making and long-term planning; monitoring and evolution and to ensure implementation beside narrative building and communication of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and other related activities from time to time.

According to objects of “The Public Private Partnership Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2020”, under this Act, ministries and line agencies will be empowered to undertake projects through a streamlined and efficient approval and appraisal process, allowing them to mobilise private capital for public infrastructure and services.

In order to address the aforementioned gaps, certain amendments to the Act have been proposed and a Public Private Partnership Working Party (P3WP) has also been established in order to fast-track project approvals.

Under the proposed amendments, administrative approval shall first be required from P3WP and the ECNEC, to be followed by formal procurement of the PPP projects through the Board of the Public Private Partnership Authority.

The inclusion of apex project approval bodies like the ECNEC in the process is designed to ensure that the PPP projects are in perfect alignment with national development priorities.

According to objects of “The Pakistan Single Window Bill, 2020”, this Bill will help Pakistan to comprehensively improve transparency, efficiency and controls in imports, exports and transit trade besides meeting its international obligation.

It will also help Pakistan to unlock its potential in becoming a regional hub for trade and transit by reducing time, cost and complications associated with fulfillment of multiple paper-based regulatory requirements.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021

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