After strong opposition
Senators term it ‘threat to democracy’ with far-reaching consequences for not one but all political parties, citizens
ISLAMABAD
Senate chairperson Sadiq Sanjrani dropped the Prevention of Violent Extremism Bill 2023 on Sunday amid strong opposition by legislators on both sides of the aisle.
The bill was tabled by Minister of State for Law Shahadat Awan on behalf of the interior minister, prompting opposition lawmakers to climb atop their seats in protest. Calling the session to order, the chairperson said let us decide on whether to forward the bill to the relevant committee. He assured legislatures that they would be given the opportunity to speak on the matter.
Questioning why the bill was being tabled on a Sunday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Humayun Saeed remarked on the importance of the bill.
“It will affect people’s lives and have far-reaching consequences,” he said, noting that the bill introduced by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah appears to be aimed at preventing the PTI from partaking in the upcoming general elections.
“All clauses of this bill reek of targeting the PTI,” he added.
Members of the ruling coalition under the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) banner, Jamait Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) and National Party lawmakers also opposed the legislation being moved hastily.
PDM’s Senator Kamran Murtaza observed that any such legislation required for the allied parties to be taken into confidence. “You are cutting off your own hands with this legislation,” he said, adding that he would raise his opposition if fundamental rights were to be curtailed in this manner.
Murtaza was of the view that this bill would raise problems for all parties in the future and it was in contradiction to the Constitution of Pakistan.
Similarly, National Party (NP) Senator Tahir Bizenjo took objection over not being taken into confidence over the legislation. He lamented that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) appeared to be making decisions unilaterally. Warning that his party would stage a walkout if the bill was tabled, he termed it an “open attack” on democracy and registered his “strong opposition” to it.
These sentiments were also echoed by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmad, who noted that this bill was not just against one but all political parties. “Those who wish for this bill to come into effect are wanting to bury democracy through the parliament itself,” he said. Meanwhile, Climate Minister and PPP leader Senator Sherry Rehman attempted to defend the holding of today’s session by citing precedent. However, she added that the Senate could introduce amendments to the bill after the assembly’s term ended. “No one likes hasty legislation,” she remarked.
Whereas PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui observed that as members of the ruling party, there was perhaps a “compulsion” that they would vote for the bills. He said they would do so but commented on the vast scope of the bill.
Pointing out that the bill had 33 articles and 100 sub-clauses, he noted that these would be applicable on all – politicians, and the common man.
Noting that this bill had come directly to the Senate, he said it was incumbent upon the upper house to go over the bill thoroughly before referring it to the National Assembly.
While in agreement with its aims and objectives, he said they feared that if it is approved in its current state, without being referred to the relevant committee, “it may perhaps be difficult to escape its clutches in the future”.
During the session, Chairman Sanjrani asked the senators whether the bill was opposed to which the house replied in the affirmative. “I drop this bill, whether or not the government does,” he said.
Meanwhile, two other bills on the agenda, Toshakhana Regulation and Management Bill 2023 and the Pakistan Airports Authority Bill 2023 were passed by the upper house.
The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority Bill 2023, the Pakistan Ruet-e-Hilal Bill and the Pakistan Air Safety Investigation Bill were also presented before the Senate and all three were referred to the relevant committees.
