Rabbani wants Privatization Commission Ordinance withdrawn

ISLAMABAD: Former chairman Senate Senator Mian Raza Rabbani on Friday termed the promulgation of the Privatization Commission (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 by the caretaker government beyond its jurisdiction and demanded that the government immediately withdraw the amended ordinance as it affects the powers of high courts.

“The ordinance amending the Privatization Commission Ordinance 2020 has attempted to limit the jurisdiction of high courts, regarding disputes between two parties involved in the process of privatization,” he said in a statement on Friday.

He said it was unconstitutional to place fetters on the powers of high courts granted by a constitutional dispensation. Amending the ordinance does not provide for security of service for the chairman or members of the tribunal. “The government may sack the members after giving a 30-days notice. This will affect the transparency of such a tribunal,” he opined.

He said the caretaker government, under decisions of superior courts, had a limited mandate to run the day-to-day affairs of the state as was stipulated under Section 230, the Elections Act 2017.