NA panel green-lights Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill

Bill seeks to amend ATA 1997 to ensure implementation of UNSC resolutions 1267 and 1373

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior on Monday told a parliamentary panel that it has asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to negotiate with the Government of Malaysia so that the latter may allow Pakistani expatriates to retain their original nationality.

Malaysian citizenship can be obtained either by registration or by naturalisation. Either way the person has to give up his prior nationality as Malaysia does not allow dual citizenship.

Pakistanis in Malaysia form the largest Pakistani diaspora community in South East Asia.

They make up the 6th largest group of foreign workers/nationals in Malaysia as of June 30, 2017, according to the Malaysia's home ministry.

Talking with reference to Pakistanis in Malaysia, secretary interior told the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Interior that the Kuala Lumpur has been urged to facilitate the Pakistani expatriates.

The committee meeting, chaired by MNA Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, also green-lighted The Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and sent it to the National Assembly for apporval.

The bill seeks to amend the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997, in order to ensure implementation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions 1267 and 1373.

The UNSC resolution 1267 makes it obligatory to all members to implement UN sanctions measures of asset freeze (targeted financial sanctions), arms embargo and travel ban on entities and individuals who are designated on the sanctions list.

UNSC resolution 1373 requires member states to implement counter terrorism measures, especially countering the financing of terrorism through their domestic laws.

“The above obligation is implemented in Pakistan through Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.The penalties already provided in the said act are not dissuasive for violations of assets seizure provision in section 11-O and the provided amount of fine is insufficient,” says statement of objectives of the bill.

CDA affairs

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) member planning and development briefed the committee about the issue of buildings sealed in Golra/E-11 area of Islamabad.

The secretary said the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in its judgment dated July 9, 2018 declared those constructions illegal.

“In compliance with the judgment, the federal government constituted a commission to review the existing master plan of capital city.  The commission had recommended regularization of existing structures through a study by independent consultant.

“The federal cabinet had also approved the recommendation and accordingly asked for hiring of consultant by the Planning Commission. The committee was directed to expedite the process to provide a solution to affectees,” he said.

Representative of the Federal Employees Cooperative Housing Society (FECHS) briefed the committee about a joint venture between the FECHS and the National Assembly Employees Cooperative Housing Society (NAECHS).

The committee was informed that land of the NAECHS had been encroached on. The FECHS official said the society faced issues in demarcation. The committee directed the deputy commissioner to resolve the demarcation issues.

The committee also directed the FECHS to provide plots to the members of NAECHS and submit a report to the committee. The committee also decided to invite the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in the next meeting for briefing the committee about the case referred to it.

(With additional input from APP)