ISLAMABAD: The decision by an all-party conference (APC) on Thursday to form a parliamentary committee to oversee the implementation of China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project can become a cumbersome task for the National Assembly speaker since the Senate has already formed its committee on the issue.

Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani formed the 23-member special committee having representation from all the four provinces and from all parties in the Senate on the demand of some senators during a debate on the issue on May 11.

During the four-hour debate, opposition members had expressed reservations over the alleged move of the government to change the corridor’s route, depriving the less-developed areas of the benefits that the project promises.

Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal in his winding up speech did not oppose the members’ demand to form the committee.

Under the rules, a parliamentary committee should comprise members of both houses of parliament and in the past, all such committees had equal representation from the two houses.

If the same principle is applied for the formation of the committee on the CPEC, the National Assembly will be required to nominate 23 MNAs for representation in the parliamentary committee and this will convert the committee into a `mini-house’ of parliament with 46 members.

Moreover, parliamentary committees in the past originated from the National Assembly and the speaker after getting an authorisation from the lower house asked the Senate chairman to send names of senators for inclusion in the committees.

This time, parliamentary experts believe, the speaker will send the names of MNAs to the Senate chairman for inclusion in the committee that has already been formed.

When contacted, Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani welcomed the APC’s decision to form the parliamentary committee on the CPEC issue.

“We have already constituted a committee and if the members of the National Assembly join us, it will be better,” he said.

Talking to Dawn, Federal Minister for Law Pervaiz Rashid expressed the hope that the matter would be resolved amicably by the NA speaker and the Senate chairman when they would sit together to find a solution.

In reply to a question, the minister who is also the official spokesman for the government said PML-N would accept whatever formula would be agreed by the NA speaker and Senate chairman.

The Senate committee on the CPEC is yet to meet to elect its chairman. The committee comprises seven members from Balochistan, five each from Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, three from Punjab, two from Islamabad and one from Fata.

There are five members from PPP, four from PML-N and two each from PML-Q and the ANP. All other parties have one member each in the committee.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2015

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