A meeting of the Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination was held today in the Committee Room No. 7 (Fourth Floor),Parliament House, Islamabad, under the Chairmanship of Dr. Hafeez-ur-Rehman Khan Drishak, MNA, to consider “The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2016, moved by Ms. Parveen Masood Bhatti, MNA ; “The Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health (Amendment) Bill, 2017”, introduced by Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan, MNA, and to receive comprehensive briefing on the working and performance of the Ministry of National Health Service, Regulations and Coordination and its attached departments.

2.        The Committee deferred the “The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2016, moved by Ms. Parveen Masood Bhatti, MNA Bill; as Mover of the Bill was not present in the meeting.

3.        The Committee also deferred “The Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health (Amendment) Bill, 2017”, introduced by Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan, MNA; as Committee decided that  the briefing by ICT and CAAD will  be taken before finalizing the Bill. The Federal Minister of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, requested the Committee that the Bill may be rejected as it is practically impossible to implement the provisions of the bill, rather Ministry can issue SRO/Administrative order to restrict the sale of loose Cigarette  packets. The Mover of the bill denied accepting the request, by saying that it is problem of the government how to implement it or not. We the Members of National Assembly are legislators; we will suggest legislation on the issues of society.

4. The Committee was comprehensively briefed by the officials of the Ministry on the working and performance of the Ministry of National Health Service, Regulations and coordination and it attached departments. The Committee was informed that after 18th Amendment this Ministry has been created on 4th May, 2013. Through creation of this Ministry various subjects of “Health” parked in different divisions has been consolidated to meet the challenges of regulation and coordination of efficient, effective and equitable health and population welfare initiatives. The Committee showed overall satisfaction on the performance and working of the Ministry and also suggested that the Committee is interested to take detailed briefing on the Prime Minister’s Fatal Diseases Program Fund in its next meeting.

5.        MNAs, Dr.Hafee-ur-Rehman Khan Darishak, Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, Dr., Ms.Mehreen Razaque Bhutto, Ms. Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Ch.Muhammad Shahbaz Babar, Ms.Shakila Khalid Luqman, Ms.Zehra Wadood Fatimi,Mr.Abdul Qahar Khan Wadan, Col. (Retd.) Dr. Amirullah Marwat and Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan attended the meeting.