Kept out of debate: PML-N set to challenge K-P Police bill, 2016

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chapter of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to move the court as the debate on the controversial K-P Police bill, 2016, concluded on Friday.

The bill will now be sent for cabinet approval.

PML-N lawmakers claimed that they were not taken into confidence on the bill and none of their lawmakers were invited to take part in the debate at the select committee’s meeting earlier this week.

PML-N lawmakers pointed out that except for the PML-N, parliamentary leaders of all political parties were invited.

They argued that the PML-N was not against giving powers to any department but not to the extent where the department turned into a monster.

“Some restrictions must be imposed so that the department concerned can be questioned if it ever does anything wrong or illegal.”

The prime minister’s adviser Amir Muqam stated: “Democracy did not allow such things and everyone is entitled to give suggestions.”

“Neglecting someone and that too the parliamentary leader of the ruling government [in the centre], is condemnable,” Maqam told The Express Tribune.

PML-N’s Parliamentary leader in K-P Assembly Sardar Aurangzeb Nalota stated that they had decided to move the court against the ‘controversial’ law before it was tabled for adoption in the legislature. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

“They [the government] deliberately refused to invite us because they thought PML-N will not let this happen … The government also did not consider any of the amendments proposed by the opposition benches,” Nalota said.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Parvaiz Khattak told media persons following the select committee’s meeting that opposition and government benches were in agreement over the bill.

This assertion was later refuted by Leader of the Opposition in the provincial assembly Maulana Lutfur Rahman.

Insiders stated that Khattak, who presided over the meeting, skipped most of the amendments proposed by the opposition members.

“Most amendments submitted by the opposition (parties) were (thus) bulldozed,” said an insider who attended the meeting, adding that the chief minister simply ignored the objections of the opposition members.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2017.