6 days Ago By SHAFQAT ALI
ISLAMABAD - The Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs on Monday unanimously approved ‘The Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention (Implementation) Bill, 2025.’ This marks a crucial step towards aligning Pakistan’s national laws with international obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). The committee meeting was chaired by Senator Irfanul Haque Siddiqui.
Senators Sherry Rehman, Anwaarul Haq Kakar, Rana Mahmood Hassan, and Rubina Qaim Khani, along with Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ambassador Sadiq Khan, the Secretary Foreign Affairs Amna Baloch, and other senior ministry officials participated in the meeting. The committee was briefed that the bill, pending for decades, was passed by the National Assembly on January 23, 2025, following its approval by the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) in November 2024. The draft had also been vetted by the Ministry of Law and Justice and endorsed by both the CCLC and Federal Cabinet prior to parliamentary introduction.
KP govt aims to boost forest revenue, curb illegal logging The bill mandates the establishment of a national mechanism to ensure compliance with the ‘BWC, prevent the creation, manufacture, and movement of toxins’ for biological weapons within Pakistan, and implement monitoring systems to fulfil treaty obligations. No additional financial or human resources are required under the bill, the ministry informed. Senator Sherry Rehman raised concerns regarding the undefined structure of the proposed Central Authority that will oversee BWC compliance.
She emphasized the need to determine its composition prior to the bill’s passage and emphasized inclusion of provincial governments on the subject. However, to avoid further delay in the long-pending legislation, the amendment was formally incorporated before unanimous passage. Under Agenda Item No.
3, the committee reviewed the implementation of recommendations made on September 20, 2024, regarding the establishment of a Facilitation Desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to assist families of Pakistanis imprisoned abroad. PCP holds farewell party for two professionals Officials from the Overseas Pakistanis Directorate presented a detailed briefing, emphasizing that the Directorate acts as the central coordination hub for addressing the concerns of the families of approximately 9 million Pakistanis living abroad. Key services provided include: Information Provision, Case Monitoring, centralized tracking of detained citizens, documentation assistance and legal and diplomatic coordination In a notable achievement, the ministry reported the successful repatriation of over 2,000 Pakistani prisoners, particularly from Saudi Arabia, through negotiated prisoner transfer agreements and streamlined logistical coordination for their return.
An in-camera session was held to assess Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan amid recent regional developments. Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ambassador Sadiq Khan, briefed the committee and responded to wide-ranging questions. Operation to eliminate poppy crop continues The committee was informed of ongoing active engagement with Afghan counterparts, and expressed optimism about **future bilateral improvements.
The recent tragic incident involving killing of 8 Pakistanis in Iran was also reviewed. The committee was informed that all eight deceased individuals were from Bahawalpur, and repatriation arrangements are underway. The ministry highlighted that Iranian authorities have extended cooperation, and the Embassy in Tehran was actively engaged in ensuring swift return of the bodies.
Tags: senate foreign affairs.
