NA panel passes Climate Accountability Bill 2024
The NA panel meeting was held on Wednesday under the chair of Munazza Hasan that discussed Climate Accountability Bill 2024 forwarded by MNA Sharmila Farooqui. The proponent of the bill told the committee that the bill envisaged corporate responsibility and it aimed at reducing carbon expenditures.
The bill proposes the establishment of a climate change fund and suggests imposing fines on companies that harm the environment, Sharmila said. The Ministry of Climate Change secretary informed the committee that the process of setting up the fund had already begun. The secretary recommended conducting a vote on the bill, which was subsequently passed unanimously.
During the NA committee meeting, MNA Nuzhat Sadiq presented the Pakistan Environmental Protection Bill 2024. The climate change ministry secretary said the ministry requires Prime Minister's opinion on the bill. Besides, the Ministry of Law also adopted the same stance.
In addition, the committee sought a detailed briefing on burning crop residues. Pakistan Environment Protection Agency director-general said fines have been imposed on four private housing societies due to a lack of sewage system.
The committee chairperson questioned why EPA failed to take action during the construction of these housing societies.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
Cryptocurrency, virtual assets: ‘PVARA' Ord to be tabled in Senate tomorrow
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb is scheduled to lay before the Upper House of the Parliament the Virtual Assets Ordinance, 2025 - a law that provides for the formation of a regulatory authority to deal with cryptocurrency and other virtual assets - in the Senate session scheduled Friday (Aug 15). Promulgated this 8 July, the Ordinance aims to establish the Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (PVARA) for the licensing, regulation, and supervision of virtual assets and virtual asset service providers. 'The President may, except when the Senate or National Assembly is in session, if satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary to take immediate action, make and promulgate an ordinance as the circumstances may require,' reads Article 89 (1) of the Constitution of Pakistan. An ordinance, in the light of the Article 89, remains in effect for 120 days, and it can be extended only once for a further period of 120 days, if a resolution for its extension is passed by either Senate or NA, and stands permanently lapsed after the passage of the extended period. Apart from that, the Senate is scheduled to take up four government bills, already passed by the NA, in its session scheduled tomorrow. Of these bills, three bills —the Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Petroleum (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and National School of Public Policy (Amendment) Bill, 2025 were passed by the NA on Wednesday. The fourth bill, Pakistan Land Port Authority Bill, 2025 was passed by the NA on 7 August. The government side, it is learnt, would try to have these bills passed directly by the Senate without having them referred to the relevant standing committees. The Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2025 apparently grants sweeping powers to the law enforcement agencies in nabbing the terror suspects. The Petroleum (Amendment) Bill, 2025 aims at introducing 'IT-based tracking of petroleum products, to curb the smuggling of petroleum products.' National School of Public Policy (Amendment) Bill, 2025 seeks to 'make amendments in the respective acts/rules and replace the words federal government with appropriate authority (ies)' in running the affairs of the National School of Public Policy. The Pakistan Land Port Authority Bill, 2025 aims to 'establish a land port authority to provide and administer an integrated system of facilities for cross-border movement of goods and passengers at land ports in Pakistan and to make provision for its operation, management, development of land port and matters connected therewith and ancillary matter.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Express Tribune
Sadiq again offers to mediate govt-opp talks
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq once again invited the opposition to sit across the table with the ruling alliance, assuring the opposition of his full cooperation in holding negotiations with the government and reaffirming his role as the "Custodian of the House." The NA speaker reiterated his offer months after the government-opposition talks failed, saying dialogue was the only way to resolve political differences. The speaker said that he would act as a bridge between the two sides to achieve this objective. Sadiq extended the invitation during a session of the National Assembly when opposition member and former speaker Asad Qaiser raised a matter regarding the opposition's privileges. He stated that the Constitution, the law, parliamentary traditions and rules were equal for all and their adherence was essential for strengthening democracy. An official statement from the NA secretariat, however, said that despite his offer, the opposition staged a walkout and left the house. Referring to the arrest of Indian Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi, Sadiq noted that even in that case, no "production orders" were issued. He emphasized that no forum was greater than the National Assembly and the Senate as a "Grand Jirga," and urged all political forces to come forward to strengthen Parliament. Previously, the negotiations between the two sides, which began on December 23, 2024, aimed to address political and economic challenges, had collapsed after just three sittings. PTI's demands were presented in the third round as a prerequisite for broader talks. However, PTI had called off negotiations within a week, claiming the government failed to meet its conditions of constituting judicial commissions within seven days. The government, on the other hand, had accused PTI of prematurely walking away from the process without awaiting a formal response "within seven working days". Later on, the PML-N-led ruling coalition had formally ended its negotiations with the opposition PTI after the opposition party had rejected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's offer for resuming talks to settle long-standing issues between the two sides. The government had officially closed the door on negotiations with PTI following the opposition party's abrupt withdrawal from the dialogue process and linking further sittings with the formation of judicial commissions to probe May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024, incidents. The confirmation had come from Senator Irfan Siddiqui, the spokesperson for the government's negotiation committee, expressing regret over PTI's decision and emphasizing that talks could have provided an opportunity for settling thorny issues had PTI continued the process. Senator Siddiqui had said that PTI specifically took names of PTI founder Imran Khan and other leaders, including Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Omar Cheema, Ijaz Chaudhry, Yasmin Rashid and Mahmood Rashid, and demanded their release, saying PTI did not write these names in its charter of demands but said that the government should facilitate their release.
Business Recorder
7 days ago
- Business Recorder
PPP believes in politics of service: Governor
LAHORE: Pakistan People's Party believes in politics of service and wanted to see the country politically and economically strong and stable. Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan expressed these views today while meeting office bearers of various political parties led by Malik Imran Ali Khokhar, who announced their joining the PPP. The governor highlighted the PPP's growing appeal among young people, citing the influx of youth from constituencies NA-127 and PP-162 into the party as tangible evidence of its increasing popularity. He said that the majority from the Township and Green Town areas of Lahore have left different political parties and joined the PPP. He said that the joining of workers of different political parties in the PPP is a clear proof that the coming time will belong to the PPP. He said that the youth's faith in Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's leadership is rooted in his commitment to their future, his dynamic approach to politics, and his ability to inspire and mobilize young people. The governor said that Lahore is the stronghold of the PPP and it was his responsibility to reactivate the PPP here. He said that the PPP is the only political party that gives respect and status to its workers. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
