Govt rushes crucial bills as term nears end

Opposition terms Prevention of Violent Extremism Bill ‘dangerous for democracy’; Toshakhana bill sails through

ISLAMABAD:

As its term in office is drawing to an end, the incumbent government on Sunday sped up the legislative business with the upper house of parliament passing five bills having far-reaching effects.

However, the treasury had to drop a legislation pertaining to counter measures against violent extremism after several lawmakers termed the bill "dangerous for democracy" and having far-reaching consequences.

The government will complete its tenure on Aug 12 but Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had already announced that the National Assembly would be dissolved before that and the power would be handed over to an interim set-up.

Now, the government appeared to be in the process of legislating on its promises of reforms in various fields before departing.

The Senate even held a session on a holiday.

Meeting on Sunday, the upper house of parliament approved five bills, referred a bill on sighting of the moon to the relevant standing committee, and received a report on the Civil Servants Amendment Bill 2023.

During the session, chaired by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Minister of State Shahadat Awan moved all the bills regarding prevention of extremism, Toshakhana gifts management, and the bifurcation of civil aviation.

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The Prevention of Violent Extremism Bill sought to ban "any extremist or violent" organisation from contesting elections.

It was opposed by majority of the members – both treasury and opposition – present in the house.

Senator Tahir Bizenjo of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) – a government ally – and the lawmakers from the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vehemently opposed the bill, terming it "dangerous for democracy".

The senators complained that such decisions were taken at the behest of just two political parties — the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) — without any consultations.

The main reason behind the bill's opposition, the senators said, was that it was being introduced to target a specific political party but would also be weaponised against others in the future.

Senator Kamran Murtaza and Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan (Fazl) also opposed the bill.

"This bill will be the last nail in democracy's coffin," added Mushtaq Ahmed of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).

آج Prevention of violent extremism act 2023،انسداد پرتشدد انتہاپسندی کابل سینیٹ @SenatePakistan میں پی ڈی ایم حکومت پیش کر رہی ہے۔ حکومت کے تیور بتا رہے ہیں کہ اس کو کمیٹی بھیجنے، اس پر بحث کرنے کی اجازت نہیں دیں گے اور اسی وقت اس کو پاس کر لیں گے۔ یہ ایک بہت ہی خوفناک بل ہے جس… pic.twitter.com/qSkIEbsC4A

— Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan | سینیٹر مشتاق احمد خان (@SenatorMushtaq) July 30, 2023

PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui opposed the bill too, while Sherry Rehman of the PPP favoured the bill indirectly, stressing that it should not be rushed. She, however, did speak about sharing amendments to the bill.

Later, the chair announced that the bill was being dropped. “For now, I am dropping it," Chairman Sanjrani told the house. "The government can decide whether it wants to pursue this bill or not,” he added.

At the moment, the future of the bill was uncertain. Though it has been dropped by the chairman, it is seemingly impossible for the bill to be approved and there is a possibility that it won't be presented again.

Prevention of violent extremism bill @SenatePakistan:

Wide discretion & sweeping indemnity for the government.

No independence of review process

Curbs on individual freedoms

Offences are non bailable, cognizable & non compoundable

What are the implications for human… pic.twitter.com/nCzJBnYnu9

— Senator Dr Sania Nishtar (@SaniaNishtar) July 30, 2023

Meanwhile, the house passed the Toshakhana (the government’s repository) Management and Regulation Bill 2023, which bans public office-holders from taking the gifts they receive.

As per the new law, all gifts received by the public office-holders, including president, prime minister, judges of the Supreme Court, military officers and other officials, would have to be submitted in the Toshakhana.

Failure to submit the gifts would attract a fine to the tune of five-fold the value of the gift.

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From now on, the gifts would be auctioned and the proceeds spent on girls’ education.

The bill would apply to president, prime minister, chief ministers and cabinet members, Senate chairman and deputy chairman, National Assembly speaker and deputy speaker, parliamentarians, chief justice, military officers and others.

The bill said that recipients of the gifts would not be allowed to buy the antiques and vehicles they received.

In case of the artefact gifts, they would be housed in museums or displayed in government-owned buildings.

Separately, the house passed the Pakistan Airports Authority Bill 2023, which aimed at handing the commercial and operational matters, airports upgradation and management etc to an airports authority.

As per the law, the departments of air navigation services, aircraft controlling and servicing, information management services, flight operations and air traffic would also be transferred from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to the new authority.

The board of the airports authority would consist of nine members, chaired by the aviation secretary and including the vice chief of air staff, finance secretary, planning secretary and Federal Board of Revenue chairman as its members.

The house also passed the Pakistan General Cosmetics Bill 2023; the National Institute of Technology Bill 2023; and the Pakistan Air Safety Investigation Bill 2023.

According to the Pakistan General Cosmetics Bill 2023, fake makeup products caused cancer, allergies, and skin diseases. It stipulated the establishment of the Pakistan General Cosmetics Authority.

The authority would regulate the import and export, manufacture and purchase and sale of makeup products in the country. The bill states that those who make fake cosmetics products would be punishable with three-year jail and a fine of up to Rs5 million.

Also during the session, a report on the Civil Servants Amendment Bill was also presented in the Senate. The report said that civil servant officers should not be re-employed after retirement. Later, the session was adjourned until Wednesday. 

(WITH INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)