Senate passes two more FATF-related bills

JUI-F, JI oppose legislation, term it slavery to anti-money laundering watchdog

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate on Wednesday passed two more FATF-related bills -- the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill 2020 and the Companies (Amendment) Bill 2020 -- by a majority vote.

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) opposed both the bills, saying the legislation would push the people further into the slavery of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

The session, chaired by Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, suspended the question hour, to allow Parliamentary Affairs State Minister Ali Muhammad Khan to introduce the bills.

Both the bills were presented after incorporating the amendments proposed by Farooq H Naek.

The house passed the bill by a majority vote. Speaking on the occasion, Maulana Attaur Rehman of the JUI-F and Mushtaq Ahmed of the JI delivered hard-hitting speeches against the legislation.

“With the passage of the bills related to the FATF, we will become slaves of the international forces,” Rehman said.

Mushtaq Ahmed noted it was “a day of mourning for the parliament,” and added that the passage of these laws had disappointed the nation.

“This parliament has come into existence not represent the IMF and World Bank but the people of the country,” he added.

Rejecting the opposition’s objections, Leader of the House Shahzad Waseem maintained that Pakistan had been in the FATF grey list before the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government came to power.

“The reasons for the inclusion of Pakistan in the grey list had been money laundering and terrorism,” he said.

“Who is responsible for money laundering and terrorism? See which parties’ leaders are appearing in the courts over money laundering,” he questioned.

Verbal bouts were witnessed between Waseem and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar over the former’s speech.

Senator Mushahidullah Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lashed out at the government over its two-year performance.

He alleged that the PTI government had made the lives of people difficult.

“People are unable to get the basic necessities because of the price hike,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Senate passed 13 motions under Rule 194 (1) granting 60-day extension to seven committees for presentation of 13 reports on matters referred to them.

The house granted extension to Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting for presentation of its five reports; Standing Committees on Parliamentary Affairs and Railways for presentation of their two reports each; Standing Committees on States and Frontiers Region, Housing and Works, National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and Senate Implementation Committee for presentation of their one report each.

Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar who is also the Functional Committee on Human Rights chairman presented a report of the committee on a Point of Public Importance regarding the incident of brutal killing of an eight year girl Zehra Shah in Rawalpindi.

Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting Chairman Faisal Javed presented report of the panel on a Point of Public Importance regarding removal of 38 employees from Press Council of Pakistan.

Earlier, Shahzad Waseem moved a motion under Rule 263 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012 that the requirement of Rule 41 of the said Rules regarding question hour be dispensed with for August 19, 2020.

The motion was passed by the house and the question hour was not observed.

The Senate session was later adjourned until Friday.