ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi clarified on Tuesday that the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) does not wield more power than the Supreme Court and the parliament.
In response to a calling attention notice regarding the issuance of a notification on August 23, 2023, which led to the establishment of the CCLC, the minister said that Senator Raza Rabbani’s concerns on the committee have no reality.
Highlighting the legal framework behind the committee’s formation, he said that the committee has been formed as per section 17 (2) of the Rules of Business 1973, the official news agency reported.
According to this sub-section, committees of the cabinet may be constituted, and their terms of reference and membership laid down by the cabinet or the prime minister. Such committees may be standing or special committees; accordingly, as they are appointed to deal with a class of cases or a specific case.
He said that the CCLC’s purpose did not involve making the bills or primary legislation. Instead, it was established for subsidiary rule-making and the facilitation of extreme and emergency government-required legislation as authorised by the law.
He said that neither the Constitution nor the law prohibits the issuance of ordinances, citing Article 89 of the Constitution, which permits emergency legislation.
Solangi also clarified that the primary role of the committee is to support the functions of the cabinet secretariat.
