JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza has asked about the scope of the caretaker government amid the latter’s plan to establish a new ministry and take decisions related to the appointments of spymasters.

“If the caretaker government has to do all the work, then what will the elected government do,” he said on the floor of the Senate on Monday.

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani presided over the Senate session. Three private members’ bills were introduced in the upper house of Parliament and seven bills were deferred due to the absence of relevant lawmakers.

In his speech, he spoke about Section 230 of the Election Act that was amended by the former government to extend the powers of the caretaker government.

The above mentioned law speaks about the functions of the interim government.

“Provided that sub-sections 1 and 2 shall not apply where the caretaker government has to take actions or decisions regarding existing bilateral or multilateral agreements or the projects already initiated under the Public Private Partnership Authority Act 2017, the Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions Act 2022, and the Privatisation Commission Ordinance 2000,” it said.

While taking note of interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar’s statement related to an extension to the spymaster, he asked whether it comes under the purview of the interim government.

He further mentioned the interim government’s decision to establish a federal ministry related to minerals. Murtaza called for provincial autonomy.

He also spoke about the ANP leader who was picked up from Quetta, saying that such type of incidents should not happen and reminding them that the people already had grievances and such acts would exacerbate them.

Meanwhile, Leader of the House in the Senate Ishaq Dar demanded that the caretaker government should provide a “clear-cut programme” to tackle the spike in terrorism in the country.

“I will very humbly request the relevant individuals, the interior minister and the government to kindly formulate and present a clear-cut programme [on tackling the recent terrorism spike] in this House,” he said

“Give the facts and figures of the past 15 or 20 years so we know […] let everybody know in this House what was the [situation] in 2010 or 2008, when it peaked, when it declined and why this spike occurred again,” the PML-N leader said.

He stressed the need for adopting a “clear-cut roadmap” and urged government officials to work round the clock on the matter.

“God willing, we will be successful. We have achieved this success before. It is our fault that we again invited [terrorism], engaged their people and released their hardened criminals.”