Rabbani opposes approval of State Owned Enterprises Bill, 2021

ISLAMABAD: Former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani termed the decision of the Cabinet of March 9, 2021 of giving approval of the State Owned Enterprises (Governance & Operations) Bill, 2021 as unconstitutional.

“The State Owned Enterprises (Governance & Operations) Bill, 2021 should have been approved by Council of Common Interests (CCI) and not by the Federal Cabinet,” he said in a statement on Monday. Raza Rabbani said the approval of this bill by Federal Cabinet was unconstitutional as Clause 1, Article 154, Constitution, 1973, states that the CCI shall formulate and regulate policies in relation to matters in Part-II of the Federal Legislative List, (FLL-II), and shall exercise supervision and control over the related institutions. “Item 6 of FLL-II, Fourth Schedule, Constitution, 1973, provides, all Regulatory Authorities established under a federal law,” he said.

Therefore, he said, the State Owned Enterprises (Governance & Operation) Bill, 2021, falls under Item 6, FLL-II, Constitution, 1973, and should have been approved by CCI and not by the Federal Cabinet.