ISLAMABAD: The Senate, Tuesday, passed the Privatisation Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2025 that seeks to delegate powers from the federal government to the prime minister to appoint, remove and fix the term of the chairman, secretary and members of the Privatisation Commission’s Board.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation Muhammad Ali moved this bill in the Senate that was passed by the House.
Agha Shahzaib Durrani chaired the Senate session.
Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani and Deputy Chairman Senate Syedaal Khan were absent.
The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Privatisation Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2025 reads that Article 90 of the Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme Court, defines the “federal government” to mean the prime minister and the federal ministers, collectively known as the cabinet.
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The Privatisation Commission Ordinance, 2000 provides that the federal government may determine the number of members of the Board (of Privatisation Commission); terms and conditions of service of the chairman and the secretary; and term of office of chairman, secretary and members, the statement reads.
“The federal government may remove the chairman, secretary or any other member of the Board. However, they are appointed by the prime minister. All these powers may also be vested in the prime minister while fixing the term of office of the members in the law itself,” reads the Statement of Objects and Reasons.
“The Privatisation Commission can only publish notice for privatisation after consultation with the federal government which is impractical and consultation with the concerned ministry and concerned enterprise may be suffice. Throughout the Ordinance, the expressions ‘federal government’ and ‘cabinet’ are repeatedly used but at one place in Section 16, the expression ‘Government of Pakistan’ is used which requires correction. Further, now ‘cabinet’ and ‘federal government’ are interchangeably used and the expression ‘cabinet’ is proposed to be replaced with the expression ‘federal government.’ All these measures require amendments in the Ordinance. Hence this bill,” according to the statement.
Law Minister Azam Tarar moved a motion that the Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission Bill, 2025, which was passed by the Senate, but not by the National Assembly, within the stipulated 90-day period, be considered in a joint sitting of the Parliament. The House adopted this motion.
Meanwhile, the law minister claimed in the Senate that former PM Imran Khan was recently taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for an eye procedure on his wish.
“This procedure was possible at the hospital of Adiala Jail, but Imran Khan wanted to have this procedure done at PIMS. He said that if there was no problem of law and order, then he should be taken to PIMS in the evening—his procedure was successful and his health is perfectly alright,” Tarar said.
Information Minister Atta Tarar informed the Senate that the Counter Violent Extremism Cell has been established to counter violent extremism.
He said the Paigham-e-Aman Committee, comprising scholars from all schools of thought, is actively working to promote peace and counter extremism.
The Senate has been adjourned till Friday.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026