Govt decides to table DHA Bill in NA

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to table the ‘Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Islamabad Bill 2007’ in National Assembly (NA) during the ongoing second last session of the 3rd parliamentary year, despite strong reservations of the opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over the bill, said well-placed sources on Tuesday.

An official in NA Secretariat on condition of anonymity told Daily Times that the bill on DHA legislation had been included in the 22 government bills, which would be tabled in the NA for passage during the ongoing session.

He said there existed an understanding between Federal Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan and opposition leader in NA Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, however the minister would hold a meeting with the opposition leader, after his return from Saudia Arabia, to remove his reservations.

A prominent housing developer Malik Riaz along with some political personalities had already made efforts for the passage of this bill by the NA during former president Pervaiz Musharraf regime, however the matter was delayed, said the sources, adding, again this controversial bill was introduced in the NA in November 2009.

The opposition leader in first sitting of the ongoing session warned the government to refrain from bringing the said bill in the NA, otherwise it should be ready to face strong resistance from the opposition benches. He said his party had no objection to providing land for the martyrs and soldiers who defended the country, but it would not allow forcible taking over of land in the name of DHA.

The other government bills ready for passage include, The National Commission for Human Development (Amendment) Bill 2009, The Federal Public Service Commission (Amendment) Bill 2009, “The National Defence University Bill 2009; The National Vocational and Technical Education Commission Bill 2008, The Registration (Amendment) Bill 2010, The Rulers of Acceding States (Abolition of Privy Purses and Privileges Amendment) Bill 2009, The Anti-Dumping Duties (Amendment) Bill 2009, The Family Courts (Amendment) Bill 2009, The Federal Board of Revenue (Amendment) Bill 2009, The Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority Bill, 2010, The Banking Companies (Amendment) Bill 2010, The Banks Nationalization (Amendment) Bill 2010, The Boilers and Pressure Vessels (Amendment) Bill 2009.