ISLAMABAD:
The Senate on Monday passed the amended Protection of Pakistan Ordinance
(PPO) with thumping majority as no political party opposed it.
However, the opposition expressed annoyance at the absence of Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan from the upper house of parliament.The bill sought to provide protection against waging war against Pakistan and prevention of acts threatening its security. The bill will now be taken up and adopted by the National Assembly in its session summoned for July 02 and would become a law after the president gives his assent to it.
Leader of the Opposition Aitzaz Ahsan accused the government of not being able to comprehend the seriousness of the prevailing situation with regard to the plight of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) and said there was need to make every possible bid to ensure comfort to the displaced people. He proposed to the government to freeze the mega projects such as metro bus and divert maximum funds for the IDPs.
Aitzaz said the army was waging a war against an enemy in North Waziristan to make Pakistan a secure place and the government needed to show seriousness in handling the related issues, particularly the humanitarian crisis of IDPs.
Opposition senators took the government to task for not taking due care of the people displaced by the Zarb-e-Azb operation in North Waziristan. They alleged the government had other priorities to focus on, and Prime Minister was criticised for taking out time to inspect a plane taken on lease and showing no interest or concern over the Karachi airport attack and firing on a plane at Peshawar Airport.
Among other things with regard to the bill, the government agreed to reduce the period of the law’s enforcement from three to two years. Moreover, the bill also binds the government to order a judicial inquiry instead of a departmental inquiry, in case a law-enforcement agency opens against suspected terrorists.
The bill has also been amended, which mandates the order to shoot a person on suspicion should come only from a law-enforcement agency official or police officer of grade-15 or above.
Over a dozen amendments proposed by the opposition parties in the House were made part of the piece of legislation through the Senate’s standing committee on interior.The amended bill defines a militant as a state enemy and anyone found sheltering the enemy would also be considered an enemy. Now, the convicted persons would also have the right to appeal their convictions before a high court.
The Protection of Pakistan Ordinance had already completed its extended life earlier this month after the government’s bid to get it through the Senate failed to make it an act of Parliament within the constitutional timeline.
Mian Raza Rabbani of Pakistan People’s Party strongly protested over the absence of interior minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan, as on his behalf minister Zahid Hamid rose to move a motion for the laying of the House committee report and then move the bill for its passage.
Acting chairman Senate Sabir Baloch also said, “Are you Ch Nisar Ali Khan”, as Zahid Hamid got up. On the orders of the day also, the name of the federal minister for interior was mentioned.
Rabbani said the government’s seriousness could be gauged from the fact such an important bill was being passed and the minister was not around. “The Senate can’t be taken for granted,” he asserted. He added they agreed to cooperate with the government on this bill only for the sake of the particular conditions Pakistan was in today.
PML Senator Kamil Ali Agha, referring to some media reports, claimed during his Bannu visit Prime Minister had not visited any genuine IDP camp. He said this would have sent a very disturbing message to the displaced persons, who were in dire need of the nation’s support and help at this difficult juncture.
Federal Minister for the IDPs Abdul Qadri Baloch rose to explain the measures the government had taken so far and was taking for the well being of the IDPs but he preferred not to touch upon the point raised by Senator Agha.
Similarly, federal minister for information and broadcasting Senator Pervaiz Rashid also threw light on the government’s steps vis-à-vis IDPs and said every positive suggestion in this regard would be welcomed.
Opposition senators including Afrasiab Khattak, Muhammad Zahid Khan, Aitzaz Ahsan, Raza Rabbani and Kamil Ali Agha on a call attention notice and on points of order, came hard on the government for its alleged indifference to the difficulties being faced by the affected people. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan was asked to devote funds and his men for the alleviation of sufferings of the IDPs instead of creating instability.
They pointed out that there were reports in newspapers that the Civil Aviation Authority probe had blamed no one for the recent Karachi airport terrorist assault. Rabbani said they had already demanded resignation of the CAA chief and PM’s special assistant, who was given the responsibility in disregard to the Supreme Court judgement.
The opposition senators were outraged by the government’s cold-shouldered reaction to the firing on a PIA plane in Peshawar and the world international airlines’ decision to suspend their flights to and from the provincial capital. They said this had compounded problems of the passengers most of whom worked in Gulf countries.
Parliamentary affairs minister Sh. Aftab and state minister for interior Muhammad Balighur Rehman assured the House that the government was alive to the situation and the prime minister had issued instructions in this connection. However, Aftab could not make a statement when asked how the government would prevail on the foreign airlines to resume their flights to Peshawar.
The senators also flayed federal minister for interior for not visiting the Karachi airport and Peshawar airport after the recent acts of terrorism there.Pervaiz Rashid, who is also law minister, moved a motion for authorisation of the Senate chairman to make nominations in consultations with parliamentary parties leaders in proportion to their representation in the House for the parliamentary committee being formed to evaluate shortcomings of previous elections and make recommendations for electoral reforms to ensure that polls are held in a free, fair and transparent manner. The Senate session was prorogued after less than two hours’ proceedings.
However, the opposition expressed annoyance at the absence of Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan from the upper house of parliament.The bill sought to provide protection against waging war against Pakistan and prevention of acts threatening its security. The bill will now be taken up and adopted by the National Assembly in its session summoned for July 02 and would become a law after the president gives his assent to it.
Leader of the Opposition Aitzaz Ahsan accused the government of not being able to comprehend the seriousness of the prevailing situation with regard to the plight of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) and said there was need to make every possible bid to ensure comfort to the displaced people. He proposed to the government to freeze the mega projects such as metro bus and divert maximum funds for the IDPs.
Aitzaz said the army was waging a war against an enemy in North Waziristan to make Pakistan a secure place and the government needed to show seriousness in handling the related issues, particularly the humanitarian crisis of IDPs.
Opposition senators took the government to task for not taking due care of the people displaced by the Zarb-e-Azb operation in North Waziristan. They alleged the government had other priorities to focus on, and Prime Minister was criticised for taking out time to inspect a plane taken on lease and showing no interest or concern over the Karachi airport attack and firing on a plane at Peshawar Airport.
Among other things with regard to the bill, the government agreed to reduce the period of the law’s enforcement from three to two years. Moreover, the bill also binds the government to order a judicial inquiry instead of a departmental inquiry, in case a law-enforcement agency opens against suspected terrorists.
The bill has also been amended, which mandates the order to shoot a person on suspicion should come only from a law-enforcement agency official or police officer of grade-15 or above.
Over a dozen amendments proposed by the opposition parties in the House were made part of the piece of legislation through the Senate’s standing committee on interior.The amended bill defines a militant as a state enemy and anyone found sheltering the enemy would also be considered an enemy. Now, the convicted persons would also have the right to appeal their convictions before a high court.
The Protection of Pakistan Ordinance had already completed its extended life earlier this month after the government’s bid to get it through the Senate failed to make it an act of Parliament within the constitutional timeline.
Mian Raza Rabbani of Pakistan People’s Party strongly protested over the absence of interior minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan, as on his behalf minister Zahid Hamid rose to move a motion for the laying of the House committee report and then move the bill for its passage.
Acting chairman Senate Sabir Baloch also said, “Are you Ch Nisar Ali Khan”, as Zahid Hamid got up. On the orders of the day also, the name of the federal minister for interior was mentioned.
Rabbani said the government’s seriousness could be gauged from the fact such an important bill was being passed and the minister was not around. “The Senate can’t be taken for granted,” he asserted. He added they agreed to cooperate with the government on this bill only for the sake of the particular conditions Pakistan was in today.
PML Senator Kamil Ali Agha, referring to some media reports, claimed during his Bannu visit Prime Minister had not visited any genuine IDP camp. He said this would have sent a very disturbing message to the displaced persons, who were in dire need of the nation’s support and help at this difficult juncture.
Federal Minister for the IDPs Abdul Qadri Baloch rose to explain the measures the government had taken so far and was taking for the well being of the IDPs but he preferred not to touch upon the point raised by Senator Agha.
Similarly, federal minister for information and broadcasting Senator Pervaiz Rashid also threw light on the government’s steps vis-à-vis IDPs and said every positive suggestion in this regard would be welcomed.
Opposition senators including Afrasiab Khattak, Muhammad Zahid Khan, Aitzaz Ahsan, Raza Rabbani and Kamil Ali Agha on a call attention notice and on points of order, came hard on the government for its alleged indifference to the difficulties being faced by the affected people. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan was asked to devote funds and his men for the alleviation of sufferings of the IDPs instead of creating instability.
They pointed out that there were reports in newspapers that the Civil Aviation Authority probe had blamed no one for the recent Karachi airport terrorist assault. Rabbani said they had already demanded resignation of the CAA chief and PM’s special assistant, who was given the responsibility in disregard to the Supreme Court judgement.
The opposition senators were outraged by the government’s cold-shouldered reaction to the firing on a PIA plane in Peshawar and the world international airlines’ decision to suspend their flights to and from the provincial capital. They said this had compounded problems of the passengers most of whom worked in Gulf countries.
Parliamentary affairs minister Sh. Aftab and state minister for interior Muhammad Balighur Rehman assured the House that the government was alive to the situation and the prime minister had issued instructions in this connection. However, Aftab could not make a statement when asked how the government would prevail on the foreign airlines to resume their flights to Peshawar.
The senators also flayed federal minister for interior for not visiting the Karachi airport and Peshawar airport after the recent acts of terrorism there.Pervaiz Rashid, who is also law minister, moved a motion for authorisation of the Senate chairman to make nominations in consultations with parliamentary parties leaders in proportion to their representation in the House for the parliamentary committee being formed to evaluate shortcomings of previous elections and make recommendations for electoral reforms to ensure that polls are held in a free, fair and transparent manner. The Senate session was prorogued after less than two hours’ proceedings.
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