ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce on Wednesday approved two important bills of the commerce ministry on the registration of trade bodies and speedy trade dispute resolution.

The committee meeting chaired by its chairman Khursheed Ahmed Junejo approved the Trade Organisations (Amendment) Bill 2022 and the Trade Dispute Resolution Bill 2022. Both were government bills.

The committee approved two major changes to the Trade Organisations (Amendment) Bill 2022. Under section 1, sub-section (4) of Act II of 2013, the expression ’1st January 2022” will be substituted with “1st January 2023”

In Section 2, Clause (P) of Act II of 2013, regulator means the Director General or any officer not less than grade 20 appointed by the division concerned to perform functions under this Act.

Two amendments were approved in the Trade Dispute Resolution Bill, 2022. By amending Section 9, sub-section (d), the word “thirty- five” shall be substituted with “forty-five”.

As part of another amendment, the tenure of employment will be three years, extendable for another three years on satisfactory performance or if necessary.

The meeting was attended by Muhammad Aslam Bhootani, Usman Ibrahim, Ms Shaista Pervaiz, Ms Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani. Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar and senior officers from the ministry also participated.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2022