Parliament contempt bill to be tabled today

A bill penalising the “contempt” of parliament is expected to be tabled in the National Assembly on Tuesday (today).

The bill has been prepared by PTI dissident member and Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges Chairman Rana Qasim Noon.

The draft for the bill has been given final shape in consultation with political parties.

The bill authorises the parliament to summon any government or state official for insulting it and suggests a six-month imprisonment and hefty fine.

Noon is expected to present the bill as a private member in the House on Tuesday.

The draft for the bill has been prepared in light of the prevailing laws in Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh.

A 24-member parliamentary contempt committee, with equal representation from the government and the opposition, will investigate the cases before it.

The contempt committee will suggest punishment that will be finalised by the speaker of the house concerned.