NA passes bill aimed at regulating mental health professionals.

The National Assembly of Pakistan with majority passed on Tuesday the bill titled 'Pakistan Psychological Council Bill, 2020' aimed at regulating psychiatric practitioners to avoid unlicensed psychiatrists and quacks from fooling people.

The bill presented by PTI MNA Riaz Fatyana, suggests that a Council of Psychology should be established to register the psychiatrists.

Purpose of the bill is to extend a regularized platform to all mental health experts and license them to acknowledge and streamline the recovery from mental health matters.

The parliamentary standing committee already approved the bill in late 2020, after consultations the bill was presented today in the NA where it received majority support for passage. PTI MNA Fatyana said the bill help improve mental healthcare services in the country.

The National Assembly is transacting private members business today. Minister for National Education and Professional Training Shahfqat Mahmood has said that inefficient civil servants will be sent on retirement with all financial benefits after proper scrutiny to improve performance of the civil servants.

He was responding to a calling attention notice moved by Nafisa Shah and others regarding compulsory retirement of more than 300 CSS officers in violation of Civil Servant Act 1973, causing grave concern amongst the public.

The Minister said a scrutiny committee under the chairmanship of Chairman Federal Public Service Commission is looking into the matter and no arbitrary action will be taken.

He added that Section 13 (1) of the Civil Servant Act 1973 fully empowered the government to devise rules to evaluate performance of...