Senate debates CPEC Authority Amendment Bill

The Senate on Monday debated the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which proposes a number of changes including offering control of the management of the CPEC Authority to its board of directors.

Presented by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, the bill proposes that the federal government would issue policy directions to the CPEC Authority which it would have to follow.

Senate passes CPEC Authority Bill 2021

Rabbani, while sharing details of the bill, said that in the past, all control over the CPEC Authority was exercised by its chief executive officer.

If approved, the control would be given to the Authority's board of directors, which would include representatives from all provinces, he said.

The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad opposed the bill, saying "The number of amendments Raza Rabbani is bringing [...] it cannot be that CPEC is packed."

In May, the CPEC Authority bill sailed through the Senate. The CPEC Authority Bill 2021 seeks to establish CPEC Authority to “further accelerate the pace of CPEC-related activities," according to the bill’s Statement of Objects and Reasons.

"It aims to find new drivers of economic growth, unlock the potential of the interlinked production network and global value chains through regional and global connectivity."

“The Authority would be responsible for planning, facilitating, coordinating, monitoring and evaluating to ensure implementation of all activities related to CPEC, ensuring inter-provincial and inter-ministerial coordination; organising and coordinating meetings of Joint Coordination Committee and Joint Working Groups; conducting sectoral research for informed decision-making and long-term planning; monitoring and evaluation and to ensure implementation beside narrative- building and communication of CPEC and other related activities from time to time,” it says.

The Senate also passed The Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Bill, 2021.

The bill states that any public servant involved in torture would face up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs2 million.

"Whoever commits, abets or conspires to commit the offense of custodial death or custodial sexual violence, shall be punished with imprisonment for life and with fine, which may extend to Rs3m," it further states.

Every offence punishable under this Act shall be non-compoundable and non-bailable," it further states.

The bill was presented by PPP Senator Sherry Rehman and supported by Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari.