Both the houses of parliament are in session these days and in a flurry of activity. The Senate is a permanent body but the National Assembly would stand dissolved on March 16 when the PPP-led government would complete its five-year term.

That the coalition government would be in a hurry to pass legislations it considers important before that date was expected and understandable. But its keenness to push six bills to set up six universities in the federal capital, where 17 already exist, surprised many.Other bills passed by either house, included the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act 2013, the Capital University of Science and Technology Act 2013, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad, the Global Change Impact Studies Centre Act 2013, the Capital University Islamabad Act 2013 and the Federal Ombudsmen Institutional Reforms Act 2013 in the National Assembly.

More legislation is expected in the National Assembly by March 12 when its current 50th session ends.But politically the most significant legislative work was done by the coalitiondominated Senate which passed, by two-third majority, the controversial 24th Constitution Amendment Bill, seeking carving outBahawalpur J a n o o b i Punjab province from the m a j o r i t y Punjab province, with the o p p o s i ti o n bo y c o t t in g the vote.

However, a bill has to be passed by both the hous-es, and assented by the President, to become law.

And, unlike in the Senate, the ruling coalition does not have two-third majority in the National Assembly required to pass a constitutional amendment.According to Article 76 of the Constitution, `a bill pending in the National Assembly, or a bill which having been passed by the National Assembly is pending in the Senate, shall lapse on the dissolution of the National Assembly.` So one can expect the has-ty legislations to fuel the political sparring and polemics at a time when the coming general election has already charged the atmosphere.

In a country where lawmakers have been caught to the election commissionabout their academic degrees, legislation establishing new d e g r e e awarding institutions appears mocking at the vast part of the electorate who have no accesseven to basic education.1nterestingly, a university project is supposed to be first discussed with the Higher Education Commission but its chairman, Dr Javed Leghari publicly and angrily said the commission was not in the know of three of the six new universities endorsed by the National Assembly.

These are My University, Darul Madina International University, and The South Asian Strategic Stability Institute University. Dr Leghari said a feasibility re-port showing availability of space, financial position, availability of faculty for planned courses etc was a must, but nobody contacted the commission about setting up these universities.

Another bill passed by both the houses, without much debate, but of great implications to the general public, was the Anti Terrorism (Amendment) Act 2013. It just needs president`s assent to become law. It is aimed at curbing the offences of financing terrorism through more effective enforcement measures. `These amendments shall improve the regime for freezing, seizure and forfeiture of property used for terrorism, by terrorists and terrorist organizations,` stated its objectives.

In the same fashion without discussion was passed the bill regarding institutional reforms in the office of Ombudsman to better address the grievances of the people. The excuse given for lack of debate on the subject was that the lawmakers were busy campaigning in their home constituencies, when the election schedule is yet to be announced.