National Assembly on Wednesday passed ‘The Public Private Partnership Authority Bill’, 2017′ as well as ‘The Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Bill, 2017’. The Public Private Partnership Authority Bill is aimed at promoting domestic and foreign private investment in infrastructure and private sector participation in economic development.
According to the Public Private Partnership Authority Bill, the authority is bound to present its annual report to the parliament within 120 days after the end of each financial year. The authority is required to prepare a report on its activities, including public-private partnership agreements, progress on projects and utilisation of funds under this act during that financial year.
The Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Bill 2017 aims at granting additional powers to the inquiry commission that would be formulated under Pakistan Commissions of Inquiry Act of 1956.
Both of these bills have already been passed by the Senate.
Reports on 24th and 25th amendments to the Constitutional Bill 2016 were also presented in the NA which focus on providing right of appeal within 30 days of an order of the Supreme Court under clause (3) of Article 184 (suo-motu case) of the Constitution and to increase pensions of families of retired and deceased civil servants and widows of judges of superior courts from 50 pc to 75 pc, respectively.
