Interior Minister Brigadier Ijaz Shah (retd) has said that following the announcement of Prime Minister Imran Khan that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) is allowed to proceed with its 'Azadi March,' there is no justification of digging trenches in the federal capital.
"If the statement of Prime Minister had come earlier then administration might have not placed shipping containers at different points on roads as a preventive measure," Shah said while responding to a question raised by MNA Abdul Qadir Patel of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) about the reports of digging trenches during the meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior.
It has been decided that the government with its firm belief in upholding democratic ideals will allow the proposed 'Azadi March' if it takes place within the ambit of law and the Constitution as interpreted in the decisions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and Islamabad High Court," said a brief official handout issued by the Prime Minister Office on Wednesday last.
The minister said that the government framed anti-smuggling policy for the first time in the country to curb smuggling. The fencing of 2,600-kilometer border with Afghanistan has almost been completed while 20 percent of fencing is remaining at Balochistan boarder with Afghanistan to restrict the movement of militants, prevent cross-border operations and smuggling, he said, adding that most of the people residing near the boarder of Balochistan are associated with smuggling because in these bordering areas there is no source of income except date palm.
He said that the government is also planning to provide alternate sources of income to the people residing in the bordering areas of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The committee which met with Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz in the chair also took up 'the Mutual Legal Assistance (Criminal Matter) Bill, 2019' moved by the government.
While briefing the committee about the bill, Special Secretary Ministry of Interior Mian Waheed-ud-Din said that the government has moved this bill because many times it has been told to Pakistani law enforcement agencies at international forums that Pakistan has no law about Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) and lack central authority regarding the matter when its agencies demanded information about the people involved in different crimes.
He said that the Ministry of Law and Justice has approved the draft bill under which a central authority will be set up headed by secretary interior. The authority will make request to appropriate authority of a country for MLA in any investigation regarding under-trial and under investigation cases relating to a criminal offence committed or suspected, he said, adding that foreign countries with which Pakistan signed agreement will also approach the central authority for the MLA.
Patel said, "Don't make such laws which can be used for taking revenge. The bill which will give more powers must be discussed to make these more useful; therefore, the committee should defer the bill for further discussion."
The committee deferred the bill till the next meeting.
According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, the increase in transnational organized crime has made it imperative for the international community including Pakistan to improve effectiveness of legal instruments. Lack of uniformity in law and weak coordination mechanisms among countries affect combating of crime across borders. In order to overcome these challenges, legal cover is essentially required.
It says that international cooperation in the criminal matters through MLA is intended to bridge existing gaps in respective countries towards effective law enforcement.
The committee passed 'Islamabad Rent Restriction (Amendment) Bill, 2019' moved by former finance minister Asad Umer.
MNAs Sher Akber Khan, Syed Iftiharul Hassan, Raza Nusrullah, Rahat Aman Ullah Bhatti, Asmatullah and Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan Khattak also attended the meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019
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