Secrets Act Amendment Bill stalled in Senate

The Official Secrets Act Amendment Bill 2023 met with unexpected opposition in the Senate on Wednesday, a day after it was rushed through the National Assembly, where the lawmakers voted for it even without reading.

Several treasury senators lent their voice to the uproar from the opposition benches, when Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar moved the bill during the session, with Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani in the chair.

Besides, the opposition, Raza Rabbani of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Afnanullah Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and lawmakers from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) also opposed it.

Senator Rabbani tore up a copy of the bill, saying that his party had sent him to the upper house of parliament for legislation but it seemed that that he was not sitting in the Senate but in a king’s court.

Similarly, the opposition and the treasury members protested against the Higher Education Bill, which was moved by Federal Minister Rana Tanveer. Both the bills were sent to the relevant house committees.

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Meanwhile, the house passed the National Commission for Human Development Amendment Bill, Pakistan Civil Aviation Bill and Pakistan Air Safety Investigation Bill. The Hajj Umrah Regulations Bill was sent to the relevant standing committee.

The Senate also held debate on Sunday suicide bombing at the workers convention of the JUI in the Khar tehsil in the Bajaur district and offered Fateha those killed in the blast.

During the debate Finance Minister Ishaq Dar told the house that terrorism had resurfaced in the country and questioned why the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government held negotiations with the Taliban militants.

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“We have to see why terrorism has re-emerged in Pakistan,” Dar said. the finance minister also said that he would speak with the prime minister for announcing a financial package for the victims of the tragedy.

Taking part in the debate, senators Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, Hidayatullah, Mushtaq, Tahir Bizenjo, Bahramand Tangi and others condemned the Bajaur incident, stressed that serious efforts were needed to control terrorism.

They also demanded an in-camera briefing on the steps to control terrorism in the country. They also suggested the convening of a special session of parliament for briefing from the relevant officials on the issue.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that the interior minister should be called for a briefing in the Senate. “Parliament should decide what should be done against terrorism in the country,” he added.