ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue called the ministries of law and finance on Wednesday to hear their opinions on whether the caretaker administration has the ability to pass legislation.
The summons were issued as the committee, led by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, debated measures, with one member maintaining that the caretaker administration lacked legislative capacity.
The committee was studying two proposed legislation, the Deposit Protection Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2024 and the Banking Companies (Amendment) Bill 2024, which had been referred to it by the upper house for vetting.
Senator Sadia Abbasi stated shortly after the committee began discussing the measures that the caretaker government lacked the ability to participate in legislative activity.”What is the status of the law?
Also read: Need to eradicate ‘Kalashnikov culture’, says CJP
In response, Jam Muhammad Aslam, the law ministry’s assistant draftsman, stated that a designated minister was “incharge in the upper house during the presentation of a bill.”
“The caretaker government has the authority to legislate,” the ministry official stated.
He also stated the existence of a relevant committee capable of making recommendations on the subject, emphasizing that neither the Constitution nor the rules were impediments to such actions.
Senator Abbasi inquired, “How can unelected individuals introduce legislation in Parliament?”