Senate panel approves Lok Virsa amendment bill

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on National Heritage and Culture on Thursday approved the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, after reviewing proposed changes to the 2022 ordinance during a meeting chaired by Senator Hidayatullah Khan.

According to officials who briefed the committee, the amendments include replacing the term Federal Government with Prime Minister in certain provisions of the ordinance, in line with directions issued by the Supreme Court. The bill was cleared unanimously after a brief discussion.

The meeting was attended by committee members including Senators Bushra Anjum Butt, Rubina Khalid, Syed Waqar Mehdi and Senator Shahadat Awan, who had moved the agenda item. Lawmakers also examined issues linked to the protection and preservation of national heritage sites and the enforcement of related laws.

Concerns over federal-provincial coordination

During the session, members voiced concern over the absence of a formal coordination mechanism between the federal ministry and provincial governments after the 18th Constitutional Amendment. Officials acknowledged that no structured working arrangement or memorandum of understanding is currently in place, leading committee members to call for a more institutionalised system.

Senator Bushra Anjum Butt said coordination should rest on formal rules instead of informal engagement. Senator Shahadat Awan raised concern over shortcomings in heritage protection, the absence of comprehensive data on new World Heritage nominations and limited efforts to reach the public.

UNESCO nominations and public access issues discussed

The committee was informed that proposals for Bhambore and Ranigat had been submitted to UNESCO, but that only one nomination can be processed each year. Members observed that consistent nominations could help increase the number of Pakistan’s heritage sites that gain international recognition.

Officials also briefed the panel on a mobile application developed to provide heritage-related information. Lawmakers, however, noted that the app was not prominently available on the ministry’s official platforms and said it should be better integrated for public use.

Budget concerns raised

The minister told the committee that the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture receives one of the lowest budget allocations among federal ministries. Following the discussion, the committee chairman recommended arranging a meeting with the prime minister to seek greater support for the ministry.

The agenda item was later deferred, and the ministry was directed to return at the next meeting with a comprehensive briefing.