ISLAMABAD: The Upper House of the Parliament on Monday passed four private bills separately moved by the members from treasury and opposition benches while seven new bills were introduced in the House and referred to the Senate standing committees concerned.

During the senate session, the House considered and subsequently passed The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill 2020, moved by treasury benches' Senator Ateeq Shaikh from Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), The Islamabad Pure Food Authority (Amendment) Bill 2019, moved by Sajjad Hussain Turi from the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), The Companies (Amendment) Bill 2019, moved by Ghous Muhammad Khan Niazi from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and The Maintenance and Welfare of Old Parents and Senior Citizens Bill, 2019 moved by Rana Maqbool Ahmad from PML-N.

All these bills were reviewed and passed by the relevant Senate standing committees before landing in the Upper House for passage.

Three bills; The Anti-Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill 2019, The Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, 2019, and The National Counter Terrorism Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2019 moved by Ateeq Shaikh were withdrawn by the mover.

The seven bills that were introduced in the House and referred to the relevant Senate standing committees are: The Pakistan Environmental Protection (Amendment) Bill 2020, The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill 2020, The Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2020, (all these three bills were moved by Faisal Javed Khan from PTI), The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2020 and The Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2020 moved by former chairman Senate Raza Rabbani from Pakistan People's Party (PPP), The Working Women (Protection of Rights) Bill 2020, jointly moved by PTI Senators Samina Saeed and Seeme Ezdi and The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2020 moved by Jamat-e-Islami (JI) chief Siraj ul Haq.

Moreover, the Senate passed different resolutions including the resolution for the creation of an up-to-date system for disposal of garbage including establishment of sewerage treatment plants in different areas of Islamabad, moved by Zeeshan Khanzada from PTI, the resolution for introducing uniform pay scales for all the government employees with particular reference to those working in Basic Scale-1 to 16 in federal government departments also moved by Khanzada, resolution for fixing the minimum wage for labourers at par with the price of one tola gold, moved by Mushtaq Ahmed from JI, the resolution for appointment of ambassadors of Pakistan against the 20 per cent quota reserved for non-career diplomats jointly moved by independent senators Kauda Babar and Naseebullah Bazai and the resolution regarding reforms in administrative services also jointly moved by Babar and Bazai.

Meanwhile, Federal Information Minister Shibli Faraz, speaking on the floor of the House, reiterated that the government will ensure transparency in the privatisation process of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM). He was responding to a point of order raised by Raza Rabbani.

"All decisions related to the Pakistan Steel Mills are being taken in a transparent manner and there would be no conflict of interest whatsoever," the information minister said. The House would meet again on Wednesday at 4 pm