FATF bills

It is also interesting to note how govt got the three bills cleared despite not having a majority

The good news that emerged from the parliament’s proceedings two days back is that the country has managed to wrap up the legislation needed to get rid of the FATF’s grey list, as three bills were passed by a joint sitting of the two houses. But the bad news is that it happened amid a vociferous protest by the opposition members against those from the treasury which shows that the two sides are not on the same page on an issue of core concern for the country. While Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated his party members and allies on the passage of the “historic legislation”, Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif and PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari lashed out at the government for imposing “black laws” in the country by trampling parliamentary rules and democratic norms.

Speaking to the House after the passage of the bills, the PM alleged that the opposition parties tried to create hurdles to the passage of the bills that are vital for the country to overcome the current economic troubles. He said their “attitude” during the parliamentary session and negotiations on the bills earlier proved that their “interests were the opposite of Pakistan’s interests”. Opposition leaders, however, insist that the amendments they sought in the bills were meant to improve them in the interest of the people. They claim that under the newly approved anti-money laundering laws, even minor crimes can now lead to arrest without the court’s approval; and an accused could be inflicted upon a double jeopardy of being prosecuted against under both the anti-money laundering law and the NAB ordinance.

It is also interesting to note how the government got the three bills cleared despite not having a majority in the parliament’s joint sitting. As against 227 National Assembly members and Senators belonging to the Opposition, the government enjoyed support from 217 members i.e. they were supposed to end up 10 votes short. However, the first of the three bills — followed by two others — was passed with 200 members voting in favour and 190 voting against it. Well, a déjà vu moment for the opposition that had experienced something similar during the no-trust vote against the Senate chairman in September 2019.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th, 2020.

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