The Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology passed the “The Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023”.
Senator Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, mover of the bill, stated that the bill aimed to strengthen the Parliamentary oversight over the AGP’s reports on Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority and made it obligatory for the AGP to present the financial audit of Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority in both houses of the parliament.
The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology was held on Wednesday with Senator Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen in the chair.
The Senate body also deliberated on “The Pakistan Halal Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023” introduced by Senator Taimur. Officials stated that the amendments proposed in the bill, have already been incorporated in the Rules and Regulations of the Pakistan Halal Authority and the international standards are also being followed in certification of the products.
Senator Taimur requested that the rules and regulations of the Pakistan Hilal Authority should be shared before the committee. The committee deferred the deliberations on the bill till the upcoming meeting.
Moreover, the committee was briefed on the alleged embezzlement of Rs. 1,148 million as reported on social media. Officials refuted the allegations and stated that PSQCA in accordance with rules deposits its revenue and savings with the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) while social media misreported the Auditor General’s recommendation that these funds should be submitted to Federal Consolidated Fund instead of NBP.
The meeting was attended by Senators Muhammad Humayun Mohmand, Kamran Murtaza, Engr. Rukhsana Zuberi, Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan, Khalida Sikandar Mandhro, and Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur.
