Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, led by Senator Farooq H. Naek, convened at the Parliament House to discuss a range of issues, including a public petition for a new Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat office in Sahiwal and a proposed constitutional amendment.

According to Senate of Pakistan, the committee examined a petition requesting the establishment of a separate regional office of the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat (WMS) in Sahiwal. The Secretary of the Law and Justice Division presented the Mohtasib’s stance, highlighting that the number of complaints from Sahiwal, with only 300 cases recorded, did not justify the need for a standalone office. It was noted that existing offices in Lahore and Multan adequately serve the region. The committee concluded that the petition did not warrant further action, adhering to the Mohtasib’s current policy framework.

In addition, the committee considered the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which proposes an amendment to Article 51. Introduced by Senators Manzoor Ahmed and Danesh Kumar, the bill seeks to allocate a minimum of one seat for non-Muslims in each province to address existing disparities. Senator Naek emphasized the necessity of consulting provincial governments for their feedback. The committee resolved to invite representatives from the Election Commission of Pakistan and the Ministry of Religious Affairs to the next meeting to gather comprehensive input for decision-making.

The meeting saw participation from several key figures, including Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro, Senator Shahadat Awan, Senator Khalil Tahir, Senator Kamran Murtaza, Senator Hamid Khan, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, and senior officials from the Ministry of Law and Justice and its departments.