Islamabad: The 22nd meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue of the National Assembly of Pakistan was held today at 2:00 p.m. in Committee Room No. 02, First Floor, Parliament House, Islamabad, under the chairmanship of Naveed Qamar, MNA.
The meeting commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran, after which the Committee adopted the agenda and confirmed the minutes of its previous meeting.
At the outset, the Committee took up Agenda Items No. 3 and 6 and formally recorded that consensus had been achieved between the Government and the Committee on the Netting of Financial Arrangements Bill, 2025 (Government Bill), and the Parliamentary Budget Office Bill, 2025, moved by Rana Iradat Sharif Khan, MNA. To give effect to the understanding reached, the Committee directed the Ministry of Finance to submit duly revised, corrected and updated drafts of the Bills, incorporating observations and recommendations made during earlier deliberations, for consideration in the next meeting. Further consideration of these agenda items was accordingly deferred.
The Committee then considered the Export Import Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2026. During clause-by-clause scrutiny, Members expressed serious concerns regarding certain provisions of the proposed legislation. After detailed deliberations, the Committee recommended that the Bill be redrafted in light of the observations and recommendations of the Members. Further consideration of the Bill was deferred, with directions to submit a revised draft well in advance of the next meeting.
The Committee also considered the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2026, moved by Ms. Shazia Marri, MNA. During deliberations, it was observed that a similar Bill, seeking substantially the same objectives, had already been considered and passed by the Committee and is currently pending before the Senate. The Committee expressed concern that the proposed legislation might result in duplication. However, the mover maintained that the Bill is distinct, particularly as it seeks to make Corporate Social Responsibility expenditure mandatory for private sector entities. After discussion, the Committee directed the Ministry concerned to provide comprehensive data on the quantum and pattern of CSR spending by private entities and share the same with the mover. Further consideration of the Bill was deferred.
The Committee then took up the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). Owing to paucity of time, detailed deliberations could not be undertaken. However, in view of the statutory requirement for the Committee to make its recommendations before March 1 of the financial year, the Committee recommended approval of the PSDP at this stage. It was expressly recorded that detailed consideration of the PSDP would be undertaken in a subsequent meeting, and the Ministry concerned would be required to furnish further information and clarifications as sought.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Rana Iradat Sharif Khan, Ms. Zeb Jaffar, Mr. Muhammad Usman Awaisi, Mr. Bilal Farooq Tarar, Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar, Mr. Muhammad Jawed Hanif Khan, Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Dr. Nafisa Shah, Ms. Sharmila Sahiba Faruque Hashaam, Ms. Shahida Begum, Mr. Sami ul Hasan Gilani, Mr. Ali Zahid, and Ms. Shazia Marri, along with the Minister for Finance and Revenue, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue, Secretary Finance, Chairman FBR, and senior officers of the relevant departments.