PHOTO: AFP
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wrote to all political parties asking they support the Pakistan Protection Ordinance (PPO) on Saturday, Express News reported.
The PPO deals with overarching issues related to security of the people, clamping hard on anti-state elements with a mission to implement swift justice on part of the law enforcement agencies.
President Mamnoon Hussain had approved the PPO last Sunday on advice from the prime minister.
The prime minister has now written a letter to all the parties indicating how the post 9/11 Pakistan has been suffering from massive security problems.
He said years of dictatorship, corruption and the absence of powerful legislation had allowed criminals to roam around on loose, and this had to stop.
On the other hand, Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah wrote to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif asking for the implementation of decisions reached in the All Parties Conference.
He said a mandate for negotiations with the Taliban had been handed to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, but that mandate has yet be enacted upon.
Features of the Ordinance
According to the new Ordinance, “Security of life, property and dignified living of our own people shall be the prime goal for all functionaries of the state.”
“Writ of the state shall be restored with full might of the law; those to pursue fruit of terror and fear, regardless of nationality, color, creed or religion shall be treated as enemy aliens and dealt with strictly without any compunction”, the ordinance stated.
The new proposition thus promises to rescue the nation from crime and terror through new laws that will be extraordinarily stringent.
The following are said to be some of the main features of the Ordinance:
1. Every possible state instrument and resource will be deployed to defeat and frustrate all or any nefarious attempt to create disorder.
2.The cancer of syndicated crime, in all its forms and manifestations, shall be responded by proportionate use of state force under the law.
3. Separate police stations will be designated for professional and expeditious investigations of specified crime, prosecuted through federal Prosecutors.
4. Special Federal Courts shall be designated to render inexpensive justice with promptitude as mandated by Article 37.
5. Joint investigation teams shall be constituted to conduct investigations by security agencies and police in all heinous crimes committed in areas where civil armed forces are invited to aid civil power.
6. Those involved in syndicated crime shall be relocated to other parts of the country for transparency and fair trial.
7. Judicious and effective use of preventive detentions shall be made in cases involving serious crimes by criminal gangs and mafias.
8. Special jails shall be designated to detain hardened criminals and the minimum quantum of punishments is now re-determined at ten years.
9. The state will not allow Afghan immigrants or other foreign nationals to be used for terrorist purposes.
COMMENTS (9)
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Likewise establishment Nawaz has started delaying tactics; what was APC for ? and on what grounds did you visited the US and have discussed there the process of dialogue with Taliban. Its truth that Pakistani establishment had given the permission to US to use Pakistani soil and drones to tackle the both objectives and both working on the same agendas. The Nation was made fool for 65 years but the world can not. You are again along with the establishment are playing with the Nation.
How will this ordinance help economy and Balochistan ? Darnomics !
All the best wishes of youth for Pakistan and nawaz sharif.
All political parties should support the Prime Minister.
Allah bless Pakistan. Allah bless Nawaz Sharif. I appreciate Nawaz Sharif's efforts.
@Syed A. Mateen: Excellent suggestion. One more point, we don't need to spend money on icarceration of these terrorists. Once they are caught, they should be dispatched to other world without delay. We also have to follow Iranian example. Whenever terrorists kill one Pakistani, two terrorists who are in prison should be hanged in revenge. When they are all dead, start from their supporters who are everywhere.
One thing is missing from Pakistan Protection Law and that is illegal stay of foreigners in Pakistan.
All foreigners while staying in Pakistan must have a valid visa and any one who overstay must be fined.
Moreover, any foreigner who is staying without work permit or have become an illegal immigrant in Pakistan must be deported back to his country.
Pakistan is not a charitable country, therefore, the country should not bear the burden of such foreigners. Only God knows that how many foreigners are involved in subversive activities in the country.
The Federal Interior Minister should make it a point to advice FIA to prepare lists of all foreigners who are staying in Pakistan illegally and then they should be deported back to their respective countries without any further delay.
Does he mean Gojra incident occurred because there was no such ordinance in place? There are already laws in place but government just flouts them. Before enacting new laws, act on the existing laws if the intention is sincere.
Who wrote the ordinance? Is it naseem hijazi's soul? Never seen words like "nefarious", "Cancer of syndicated..." in legal documents. Besides, amongst all the bullet points listed above which one is not already in the law?