Amid opposition protests
\nExemplary punishment for sex offenders after new legislation
\nDLP REPORT
\nISLAMABAD
\nHours after being rejected by the Senate, Pakistan\u2019s parliament in a joint sitting on Wednesday passed three Financial Action Task Force-related laws in an attempt to avoid being added to the task force\u2019s blacklist.
\nDuring the joint session, marred by opposition\u2019s protest, the bills were passed with a thin majority of 10 votes, with 200 lawmakers voting in its support and 190 opposition legislators opposing the legislation.
\nThe three bills with amendments were the Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill, 2020, Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill and the Anti-Terrorism Act (amendment) Bill, 2020.
\nAs soon as the session began, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan tabled the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Waqf Properties Bill which was initially passed through a voice vote.
\nHowever, the NA speaker asked for a vote count with members being asked to stand up from their seats after the opposition shouted in protest. The bill was passed with 200 members voting in favour and 190 voting against it.
\nBeing passed thrice from the NA in the past, the legislation was blocked three times by the opposition-dominated upper house, prompting President Arif Alvi to summon a joint session of the parliament to make crucial legislation.<\/p>\n
The Paris-based FATF had placed Pakistan on its grey list in June 2018, making it extremely difficult for the country to raise money on the international bond market.
\nBefore the passage of the bills, the Senate had rejected the FATF-related anti-money laundering legislation, objecting to some of its provisions.
\nAccording to the ATA (amendment) Bill, 2020, the one specifically aimed at addressing FATF\u2019s 27-point action plan that the watchdog had given to Islamabad last year, the investigating officer, with the permission of the court, can conduct covert operations to detect terrorism funding, track communications and computer system by applying latest technologies in 60 days.
\nIt also stated that written requests would be made to the court for extension in investigation and the court may extend the period for another 60 days.
\nThe bill further said that funding for terrorism was a major obstacle in the country\u2019s development and a source of disgrace to it. \u201cTerrorism funding was benefiting those elements which were not only a threat to internal and external peace of the country but also its allies,\u201d it said.
\n\u201cThe main purpose of introducing this bill is to enable law enforcement agencies to eradicate these curses by adopting certain preventive techniques with the empowered assistance of the courts of law,\u201d it added.
\nThe Anti-Money Laundering Bill, 2020, is about streamlining the existing anti money laundering law in line with international standards prescribed by the FATF.
\nThe Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill is aimed at proper management, supervision, and administration of Waqf properties in the territorial limits of Islamabad Capital Territory. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Amid opposition protests Exemplary punishment for sex offenders after new legislation DLP REPORT ISLAMABAD Hours after being rejected by the Senate, Pakistan\u2019s parliament in a joint sitting on Wednesday passed three Financial Action Task Force-related laws in an attempt to avoid being added to the task force\u2019s blacklist. During the joint session, marred by opposition\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":145005,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-144985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-top-news"],"yoast_head":"\n