Under the Pakistan Protection Bill, trial of any case would not be in contradiction to Article 10 of the constitution. PHOTO: APP/FILE
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.
For the first time MQM, PPP, PTI, JI, JUI (3 out of 4 provinces) came together to reject the civilian dictatorship of the Government.
— Syed Ali Raza Abidi (@abidifactor) April 7, 2014
Joint press conference by MQM/PTI/PPP/JUI, against PPO. Black Law against ppl of Pakistan & will be used to victimize innocents.
— Rehan Hashmi (@MRehanHashmi) April 7, 2014
Spoke in NA ag PPO saying it was like POTA in IOK which was a law of an occupation state. Challenged Gen (r) Baloch's assertions. 1/2
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) April 7, 2014
2/2 Stated PTI totally rejected PPO in present form as its a fascist, civilian dictatorship law.
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) April 7, 2014
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