NA passes Pakistan Protection Bill amid ruckus, walkout

Special courts would be formed to ensure the speedy trial of terrorism related cases.


Web Desk April 07, 2014
Under the Pakistan Protection Bill, trial of any case would not be in contradiction to Article 10 of the constitution. PHOTO: APP/FILE

ISLAMABAD: National assembly approved the Pakistan Protection Bill late on Monday despite the protest and walk out by the opposition parties, Express News reported.

The bill was approved despite the absence of opposition parties from the assembly.

Earlier when bill was presented in the assembly, opposition parties rejected the bill and staged a vociferous protest during which they also tore up copies of the draft bill. Later they walked out of the assembly.

Government’s ally Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam-F (JUI-F) also opposed the bill and walked out of the assembly.

Under the Pakistan Protection Bill, trial of any case would not be in contradiction to Article 10 of the constitution.

Special courts would also be formed to ensure the speedy trial of terrorism related cases. Any person convicted could be kept in any jail across the country.

After the approval of the bill, joint interrogation team would investigate terrorism related cases.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that all opposition parties are united against this bill. He added that the implications of the bill in its current shape would be devastating.

MQM leader Farooq Sattar said that ministers in cabinet meeting had expressed their reservations against Pakistan Protection Bill fearing that the bill could be used to target political workers.

He claimed that in the eight months that the ordinance has been in place in Sindh, as many as 45 MQM workers have been taken into custody.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MNA Ali Raz Abidi tweeted that for the first time MQM, PPP, PTI, JI, JUI (3 out of 4 provinces) came together to reject the civilian dictatorship of the Government.





COMMENTS (11)

|TopGun| | 10 years ago | Reply

@Uza, 3/4 actually...

..and it's not even constitutional since it contradicts the constitution. It would be a typical example of mob rule where 51% do whatever they like to the 49%. Why have a constitution when you can make laws that contradict it. They need to amend the constitution if they don't like it there, not pass ridiculous laws with a lower majority.

Uza Syed | 10 years ago | Reply

Please, someone, help me understand!

This Bill / Law actually permits and contravenes the Article 10 of our Constitution which means it is practically an amendment in the Constitution and I don't think that any amendments in the Constitution is possible without 2/3 majority.

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