Controversial law: MQM rallies opposition groups against PPO

Babar Ghauri contacts Aitzaz Ahsan, Haji Adeel, Kamil Aga for joint strategy in Senate.

ISLAMABAD:

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has approached other opposition groups in the Senate in an effort to formulate a joint strategy against the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance, which is likely to be tabled in the upper house of parliament in the upcoming session.

MQM’s parliamentary leader in the Senate, Babar Ghauri, told The Express Tribune on Friday that he has contacted Aitzaz Ahsan, leader of the opposition, Haji Adeel of the ANP and Kamil Ali Aga of the PML-Q to come up with a joint stance on the issue.

“I have spoken to these leaders by the telephone and they all have assured that the opposition will resist the PPO with full force,” he said.

The government, on April 7, managed to get the PPO cleared by the National Assembly. The controversial legislation was enacted through a presidential decree in October last year. To make it a permanent law, it needs to be passed by both houses of parliament.

An ordinance once promulgated lapses within 120 days but can be extended for another four months for one time.

Opposition parties have announced to reject the PPO, which, according to human rights groups, gives unchecked powers to law enforcement agencies and violates fundamental human rights guaranteed in the Constitution.

Opposition groups if united have a majority in the Senate. The government would need support of more than 50 per cent members in a sitting to pass the bill. In minority on headcount in the Senate, the government would fail to get the upper house’s approval for the bill without support of some of the opposition parties.



Opposition groups have vowed to resist the law when it will be tabled in the Senate. In the 103-member house, the PPP holds 39, ANP 12, MQM 7 and PML-Q 5 seats, enough to reject a proposed law when it is put to vote.

Ghauri said during his interaction with opposition leaders it has been decided that they would meet on Monday, April 14, when the house will kick off the new session.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2014.