Senate passes NAB law tweaks amid protest

Opposition protests against legislation during requisitions session

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate passed the National Accountability Amendment Bill, 2023, on Wednesday amid noisy protest from the opposition benches, which prevented the government from moving a resolution against rising incidents of terrorism in the country.

The National Accountability Amendment Bill was presented by Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar during the session chaired by Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani. However, the opposition raised slogans and tore up the copies of the bill in protest.

Opposition Leader Shehzad Wasim said that a regular session should be called for the passage of any legislation, stressing that the bills should not be passed during the requisitioned session.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) also sided with the opposition. “I oppose this bill,” he told the house. “After approval of this bill, corruption in NAB [National Accountability Bureau] will increase,” he added.

However, Law Minister Tarar said that the legislation should not be criticised rather it should be submitted for approval. Later, the ruling coalition got 26 votes in favour of the bill and 19 against.

Similarly, when a motion was tabled to introduce a bill regarding the allocation of money for elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the opposition opposed it. The house also rejected a motion to provide funds, as recommended by the standing committee.

The Senate also passed the Pakistan Maritime Zones Bill, 2023, and the Consolidated Civil Code Bill, 2033, with a majority vote. The opposition opposed both the bills, moved by the law minister.

Taking the floor, Tarar said that terrorism was on the rise in the country but the security forces were fighting this menace bravely. He criticised the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government talks with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

“Even then, we had opposed it [the talks with the TTP] and the way these people [TTP] were brought back to the country and settled here,” the minister said. “Today, our soldiers are being martyred. Attacks on the forces have increased,” he added.

The minister proposed to bring a unanimous resolution in the house on the issue of terrorism. However, the chairman said that the situation in the house was not suitable for tabling such a resolution.

At the outset of the session, the house offered Fateha on the demise of religious affairs minister Mufti Abdul Shakoor and the martyrs of the security forces. Later, the chair adjourned the session indefinitely.