ISLAMABAD: Senate, Friday, passed four government bills including “The Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill 2021,” which provides for protection to journalists and media workers from “all forms of threats, coercion and violence,” and “The National Accountability (Amendment) Bill 2021,” which makes the appointment of prosecutor general accountability ‘less restrictive.’
The passage of the four bills appeared to be a major setback to opposition that has majority in the upper house of the Parliament.
In the Senate sitting, the opposition senators slammed the government for moving the aforementioned two bills in supplementary agenda instead of regular agenda.
In the midst of hullabaloo, Human Rights Minister Dr Shireen Mazari presented The Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill 2021.
The opposition demanded that the bill be referred to the relevant standing committee.
On the contrary, the treasury benches strongly stressed upon Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani to allow presentation of the bill, which the opposition fiercely resisted.
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Opposition senators encircled the dais of the chairman Senate, tore apart the copies of the business agenda and threw them to the chair.
A visibly infuriated Sanjrani remarked, “When they (opposition) lack votes— they start blaming the chairman.”
Mocking the opposition, treasury benches hit back with the slogan “Vote ko izzat do” (give respect to ballot).
Voting (through voice vote) was held to determine whether or not the bill should be moved in the House. As many as 35 votes were in favour of moving the bill in the House and 29 against it. Resultantly, the bill was moved and presented by Dr Mazari—passed by the House.
“There is an urgent need to ensure accountability for all forms of threats, coercion and violence against journalists, and media professionals,” reads the Statement of Objects and Reasons of this bill.
“Ensuring accountability in this regard has additional objective of deterring/preventing future threats and/or attacks against journalists, and media professionals by actively investigating, prosecuting and punishing such acts that affect all media professionals and the right of all persons to enjoy their right to freedom of opinion and expression,” it adds.
Law and Justice Minister Farogh Naseem presented the National Accountability (Amendment) Bill 2021. This bill seeks to amend Section 8 of the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 to allow reappointment of prosecutor general accountability upon retirement.
The Section 8 provides that the president of Pakistan, in consultation with the chairman NAB (National Accountability Bureau), may appoint any person, who is qualified to be appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court, as prosecutor general, for a three-year term.
“This provision of the ordinance is very restrictive, to amend the said provision, so that the appointment of prosecutor general becomes less restrictive, the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 has been made and promulgated by the president under Article 89 (l) of the constitution,” reads the Statement of Objects and Reasons of this bill.
The House once again plunged into chaos when voting was held on moving The Higher Education Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021 followed by strong protest in the Senate.
Some 34 votes were in favour of moving the bill and 28 against it. Dilawar Khan Group, an alliance of six independent senators, led by Dilawar Khan, voted in favour of moving the bill.
“You were with us, how can you vote against us on this one?” remarked a notably perturbed Sherry Rehman, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Parliamentary Leader in Senate, addressing Khan, the group leader.
The bill was then passed by the Senate. Subsequently, the Senate also passed The Higher Education Commission (Second Amendment) Bill 2021.
The two bills provide for the appointment of chairperson HEC for two-year period, and members and executive director HEC for four-year periods respectively, unless removed from office.
All the four bills passed by the Senate on Friday have already been passed by the National Assembly. President is now required to sign these bills into law.
In the Friday sitting, chairman Senate came under fire, this time from treasury benches, when he referred four crucial bills, moved by the human rights minister, to the relevant committees instead of taking them up for voting. These bills were: The Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Amendment) Bill 2021, The National Commission on the Rights of Child (Amendment) Bill 2021, The Juvenile Justice System (Amendment) Bill 2021 and The Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection (Amendment) Bill 2021.
Strongly objecting on this move, Parliamentary Affairs State Minister Ali Muhammad Khan lambasted Sanjrani. “Today, you are acting as if you are the chairman of the opposition only—as if we did not vote for you. You are delaying crucial legislation related to women and children.”
The minister’s remarks seemingly worked as the chairman Senate did not refer any of the other four government bills— that were later passed by the House— to the committees.
Meanwhile, in the question hour, the parliamentary affairs state minister said that the government was in contact with the United States authorities for the repatriation of Saifullah Paracha from Guantanamo Bay prison.
The Senate session has been prorogued.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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