ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The National Assembly on Thursday passed two bills and witnessed presentation of reports of various Standing Committees on six bills.
Minister for Human Rights Mumtaz Ahmad Tarar presented the Women in Distress and Detention Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2017 and highlighted the salient features of the bill which was passed by the House.
According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the bill, “Women in Distress and Detention Fund was established under the Women in Distress and Detention Fund, Act, 1996. The objects of this fund are to provide financial and legal assistance to the women languishing in jails on account of different allegations and those who face extreme hardships. In view of the Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 2010 and consequently reallocation of business of various Ministries and Divisions, it is expedient to amend the said Act for appropriate operation of the Fund, which is beneficial for all classes of women throughout the country”.
Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch tabled the Rulers of Acceding States (Abolition of Privy Purses and Privileges) (Amendment) Bill, 2017 which was also passed by the House.
The bill aims to enhance the monthly maintenance allowance to ex-rulers of all merged and acceding States and their dependents.
The House witnessed presentation of reports of various Standing Committees on six bills including the Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2017; the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection Bill, 2017; the National Skills University Islamabad Bill, 2017; the Juvenile Justice System Bill, 2017; the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (Amendment) Bill, 2017 and the Constitution (Twenty-sixth Amendment) Bill, 2017.