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
COMMENTS (11)
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@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.
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.
Nawaz Shareef again want to be Amīr al-Mu'minīn....3 provinces rejected the bill...
PML-N is essentially accepting and putting its signature on POTA in Jammu & Kashmir.
How can a "democratic" government introduce such a draconian law?
At least now the Balochs, Pashtuns and Urdu-Speakers know the true face of PMLN.
Supreme Court should annul this barbaric "law" which gives an illegal cover to Law Enforcement Agencies to carry out horrific victimization including kidnapping, torture and murder under political and military patronage.
This is against basic human rights and should be challenged by all patriotic Pakistanis and the united opposition in Geneva. Have we not learnt anything yet from unnecessary hatred towards Bengalis, Balochs and Urdu Speakers?
What a terribly written piece. The reader can really, really use some context here. What is included in the bill and what is the 10th article of the Constitution that should not be violated? Come on. Elementary stuff, really. You can write a couple of sentences even in the rush to break the news.
If they want something not to contradict with constitution, they need to amend the constitution with proper support and not find ways past it with so called bills to give exemptions to trials. That's gaming around the spirit of the constitution...
was it necessary for MQM to play province card as usual? It shows nothing but its disgust towards one provice.
It understandable that PPP and MQM are the opposing this law due to some obvious reasons. but why PTI?
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears to me that this bill empowers the Pakistani military to imprison anybody at will for three months and this power combined with the rest of the powers of the bill and anti-terror law enable the military to take control of almost any criminal case and terminate its prosecution at will, and without accountability to civil or elected officials.
MQM, PPP and PTI know why JI and JUIF opposed the bill.