ISLAMABAD: Yet another bill, which was passed by both houses of parliament months ago, has gone missing, it has emerged.

A calling attention not­ice submitted with the Senate Secretariat, bearing the signatures of PPP Senators Saleem Mandvi­wala and Taj Haider, a copy of which is available with Dawn, invites the attention of the federal minister for parliamentary affairs to­wards the non-approval of “The Protection of Family Life and Wedlock Bill, 2023”.

The bill was passed by the National Assembly on July 27 and transmitted to the Senate on July 30, 2023.

It was passed by the Senate on August 7 and forwarded to the ministry of parliamentary affairs for onward transmission to the prime minister and then to the president for approval.

However, the bill could not become an act of parliament, and it is not known where it got stuck.

The latest bill aims to pro­tect the family life of government employees by absorbing those working under the administrative co­n­trol of the federal dire­c­torate of education, ensu­r­ing the protection of family as provided in articles 25, 34 and 35 of the Constitution.

The statement of objects and reasons of the bill says the preamble, read with clause (3) of Article 25, guarantees social and economic rights and social justice for the protection of women, family life and children.

It says Article 34 emphasises the full participation of women in national life, and Article 35 is about protection of family, which is not possible unless a conducive working environment is provided to spouses during their economic struggle by their participation in national life.

However, it says that spouses face hardships when, due to their employment or residential problems, they are forced to live separately in different cities, which is not only economically unfeasible but also creates challenges for the growth of children and their educational opportunities.“

It says there was a wedlock policy of the federal government that ensured the transfer and posting of spouses at the same station during their employment postings.

However, this policy deprived them of their professional and career progression and growth, as they faced the threat of repatriation to their parent departments due to constraints related to posting or transfer on a deputation basis although it was a distinct situation when the other spouse was employed in or a resident of the Islamabad Capital Territory.

“Therefore, it is necessary to provide an opportunity to spouses who are serving under the administrative control of the Federal Directorate of Education for their absorption, if so interested, after their long posting or service in the Islamabad Capital Territory, on one-time basis,” it reads.

It also refers to Clause (3) of Article 25 of the Constitution, which provides for an exceptional treatment in such circumstances.

Earlier, a bill moved by PML-N Senator Irfanul Haq Siddiqui had disappeared after being passed by both houses of the parliament.

In June 2022, after the Senate, the national assembly also passed the bill, seeking separation of the judiciary and the executive by clipping the judicial powers of assistant commissioners, the deputy commissioners and the commissioners. After the approval from both houses, the bill was supposed to be sent to President Arif Alvi for his assent but it “disappeared”.

Hours after approval of the bill from the national assembly, the mover had said: “Today, a key obligation of the Constitution has been fulfilled,” adding that now officials of Islamabad administration would no longer have the power to remand or send anyone to jail.

However, he had said, these officials would continue to exercise administrative powers to prevent minor crimes but would not be able to exercise judicial powers.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2023