Terror trials: Army ordinance extended for four months

MQM’s protest triggers verbal duel with defence minister

ISLAMABAD:

The National Assembly passed a resolution seeking extension in the Pakistan Army Act (Amendment) Ordinance 2015 for 120 days in a session marred by sloganeering and a walkout by lawmakers from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). The move also triggered a verbal duel between a senior federal minister and MQM lawmakers.

According to the Pakistan Army Act (Amendment) Ordinance, which was promulgated in the last week of February this year, judges of the military courts will have the discretion to decide whether the proceedings will be open or in-camera. Similarly, judges, lawyers and witnesses will be given security and protection.



The MQM MPs started protesting when Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stood up to table the resolution. Angered by the protest, Asif said it was a politically motivated outcry as the MQM lawmakers fear “they can be tried under the law for their wrongdoings”. The ordinance is a part of the National Action Plan against terrorism which all political parties had already acquiesced to support.

Asif’s criticism of the MQM prompted an instant and scathing rejoinder. “We still remember how he [the defence minister] begged for an apology during the Dharna days,” MQM’s Rasheed Godil said while referring to the marathon sit-in by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek in August, last year.



“You [the treasury benches] talk of Pakistan but distract the nation to petty issues,” Godil added. “The treasury benches should also respect us as we’re also members of this august house.”

“This is an insult to parliament because the government is tabling the resolution by suspending the routine business of the house,” Godil said while opposing the resolution. Subsequently, all MQM members stood in their seats and started chanting slogans against the treasury benches. “Shame on you, don’t pass the controversial ordinance through a resolution,” they shouted with one voice.



Disregarding the sloganeering, the defence minister read out the resolution in the house.  Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi tried to soothe the frayed tempers and restore order to the house – but to no avail. Abbasi also cited the special powers he enjoys under the rules to allow passage of such a resolution.

A bill has already been tabled in the house, while it is a technical requirement to pass the resolution, Defence Minister Asif said, while referring to the Pakistan Army [Amendment] Act 2015. “This is a temporary arrangement and the bill will be put to vote soon and be passed,” he added.



Although the house passed the resolution with majority vote, lawmakers from PTI and MQM said the government should have introduced a bill instead of extending the ordinance through a resolution.

Godil said the government should explain what necessitated the resolution and why there was a need to extend the Pakistan Army Ordinance.

This is where Finance Minister Ishaq Dar intervened. It would not be inappropriate to say that it was a failure of parliament that it could not pass a bill, he said, adding that citing the reasons was like stating the obvious. “Objectives and reasons for [extending] the ordinance have already been explained and the members should not try to politicise the issue.”

PPP lawmaker Ejaz Jakhrani said the government should have taken the Business Advisory Committee into confidence before tabling the resolution in the house.  PTI’s Shireen Mazari also said that parliament was in session and the government should have tabled a bill instead of bringing the resolution.

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq explained that none other business was suspended for the budget debate instead of the question hour and a calling attention notice.

The speaker also requested Federal Minister Riaz Pirzada to convince the MQM members to end their protest and return to the house. The minister informed the speaker that the MQM members were ready to come back in the house on Tuesday but after a brief conversation with the speaker.


Published in The Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2015.