ISLAMABAD- In an unexpected development, the Upper House of the Parliament on Tuesday passed the Private Power and Infrastructure Board Bill, 2011 by a majority of vote with the support of some two Opposition parties that was opposed by one of the government’s own coalition partners, Awami National Party (ANP). The Bill has already been passed by the National Assembly and will be sent to the President for its final approval. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), the two Opposition parties supported the Bill after the government incorporated their proposed Amendments in it. However, ANP from the Treasury Benches and JUI-F from Opposition benches opposed the Bill saying that the passage of this legislation would be tantamount to clear violation of 18th Amendment.Water and Power Minister Syed Naveed Qamar moved the Bill that provided for the establishment of Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) to facilitate the local and foreign investors for attracting and facilitating private investment in power generation and allied infrastructure projects in the country. PPIB was established in 1994 by the Federal government through a notification and it has been given legal cover through the legislation.Haji Adeel Ahmed of ANP opposed the Bill on the grounds that the passage of this legislation would be violation of the 18th Amendment, as after the Amendment, any hydel power project could not be launched in any province without the prior approval of concerned federating unit. He feared that PPPIB was being authorised to launch hydel projects in the provinces through this legislation that would be a sheer violation of the 18th Amendment. ‘The government cannot introduce this legislation before this House after 18th Amendment’, he stressed.Abdul Rahim Mandokhel of Pakhunkhwa Mill Awami Party (PKMAP) showing his reservation on the Bill withdrew his amendments proposed in it alongwith the PML-N and JI and said that ,however, he would not press that the legislation should not be passed. Maulana Gul Naseeb of JUI-F also opposed the legislation on the same ground adopted by ANP while Leader of the Opposition sought some time to make some more deliberations on the proposed legislation.Water and Power Minister clarifying the issue said that according to the decision of the Council of Common Interests (CCI), the provinces could make investment in power sector at their own and also constitute their own private power boards.‘The government in any way is not violating the 18th Amendment in this connection’,he said. He clarified that according to the Constitutional provisions; no hydel power project could be initiated in the provinces without getting No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the concerned province.‘PPIB has the representation of all provinces and it would only help the investors to facilitate them in making investment in power generation projects’, he added. Senator Ishaq Dar of PML-N endorsed the Minister saying that no violation of 18th Amendment was being done in this regard. Leader of the House also said that this legislation was not any infringement on the rights of provinces, however, Haji Adeel Ahmed was not ready to accept the arguments of the lawmakers.Senator Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Chairman Senate Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges presented the revised report of the Committee on the proposed rules of procedure and conduct of business in the Senate. The committee has presented the report after a work of six years on it.Chairman Senate referred a privilege motion of Senator Zahid Khan to the concerned House Committee against the concerned officials of Pakistan Income Support Programme (BISP) for not replying a question regarding the details of expenditures of the advertisements of programme released to different media houses. The House will meet again on Wednesday (today) at 4pm.