PPP decides to move court against SBP bill

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has decided to challenge the State Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill 2022 in the court a day after Senate approved it with a one-vote majority, ARY NEWS reported.

According to sources privy to the development, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has begun consultations over the bill and would consult Aitzaz Ahsan and Latif Khosa over the matter.

“The State Bank amendment bill is against national security,” he said and added that controversial bill could not be accepted at any cost.

The government approved the bill in Senate through forgery, Bilawal Bhutto said and announced that the party would not accept the bill and will challenge it in court.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Senate on Friday passed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Amendment Bill, with the majority vote.

The bill was presented by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin amid ruckus in the house by the opposition members. The SBP Amendment Bill was supported by 44 senators, while 43 voted against it.

According to the Senate record, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz members, Senator Nuzhat Sadiq and Mushahid Hussian Syed skipped voting as Miss Sadiq is currently in Canada and Mushahid Hussain Syed suffering from COVID-19.

Opposition Leader in Senate, Pakistan People’s Party Senator Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, MQM-P’s Senator Faisal Sabzwari and Khalid Ateeb missed the Senate session.

Bilalur Rehman, a senator from erstwhile FATA did not attend the session of the Upper House of the Parliament as he is suffering from COVID-19. Senator Hidayatullah also remained absent from the session.

Among other absent senators were Sikandar Mendhro of the PPP, Senator Qasim Ronjho, of BNP-M, Senator Naseema Ahsan Shah and PK-MAP’s Senator Sardar Shafiq Tarin.