PM Shehbaz-led meeting also approves amendments to Income Tax Ordinance, 2024
The Federal Cabinet on Friday apparently ended the controversy surrounding the Companies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and approved the amendments to the Madrasas Registration Bill with the support of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F).
The development came two days after JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza said that all differences related to the Madrasa Registration Act between the government and his party had been resolved.
“The Madrasa Registration Bill notification has been passed in light of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which is likely to be issued in the next two days,” the senator said in an interview with Geo News.
Murtaza added that he and Law and Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar have finalized the bill. “Issuing the notice will completely settle the matter.”
The government has reportedly “accepted all the demands of the Ittehad Tanzeemat-e-Madaris Deenia (ITMD)” regarding the controversial madrasa registration law after a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
The controversial madrassa bill, which has already been passed by both houses of parliament, has become a bone of contention between the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) and the government.
Its enactment was part of an agreement between the government and a religio-political party to support the 26th Amendment, Fazl said earlier.
After passing parliament, the bill required the president’s assent to become law, but President Asif Ali Zardari returned the bill citing legal objections. According to the constitution, a bill must be introduced before a joint session after the president refuses to sign it.
In Art. 75 par. 2 of the Constitution of Pakistan states: “When the President returns a bill to the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament), it shall be re-considered by the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) in joint session, and if it is again passed, with or without amendments, the Majlis -e-Shoora (Parliament), the votes of the majority of the members present and voting of both Houses shall be deemed for the purposes of the Constitution to have been approved by both Houses and shall be submitted to the President and the President gives its consent within ten days, otherwise this consent is deemed to have been granted.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet – in today’s meeting – also gave its nod to amendments in the Income Tax Ordinance 2024 relating to banking companies as recommended by the revenue department.
It also approved carbon trading policy guidelines on the recommendation of the Department for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination.
The cabinet agreed to grant additional powers of insurance tribunals to all District and Sessions Judges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the orders of the Peshawar High Court and on the recommendation of the Law Ministry.
