Publication Of Laws Of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2022 Sails Through NA

Faizan Hashmi Published August 03, 2022 | 03:50 PM

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Aug, 2022 ) :National Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed the Publication of Laws of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2022 aiming to regulate publication of error free law books and their translation.

The 0Bill was moved by Minister of State for Law and Justice Shahadat Awan, statement of objects and reasons says pursuant to the directions of the Supreme Court in its judgment to make a law to regulate publication of error free law books and their translation, the Publication of law of Pakistan Act, 2016 was enacted after passing of resolutions by provincial assemblies of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh under Article 144 of the Constitution to the effect that Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) may by law regulate the matter.

In accordance with another judgment of the Supreme Court reported as PLD 2016 SC 808, the cabinet in its meeting held on April 12, 2018 decided to that all ministries and divisions should in consultation with the Law and Justice division make amendments in respective Act and rules and substitute the words "Federal Government" with appropriate authorities so as to decrease the work load of the cabinet before which every case in petty matters is presently brought for consideration where powers have been conferred on the Federal Government in various laws and rules.

The said act is therefore, required to be amended also for smooth functioning of the laws of Pakistan Cell to encourage and facilitate the publisher to publish more law books at low cost for general public, to increase the period for issuance of certificate of accuracy from twenty working days to three months. Similarly to omit punishment of imprisonment in order to encourage more publishers to publish the law books and also to provide for indemnity to protect the federal government, provincial governments and officers of respective cells exercising any powers or performing any functions under the said Act.