ISLAMABAD: What came as a setback to the government, Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani, Sunday, “dropped” the Prevention of Violent Extremism Bill 2023, a controversial legislative draft that received strong criticism from different senators from the two sides of the aisle— who dubbed this bill as an “attempt to tighten noose around political parties in the garb of legislation.”

In a usual Senate session that was held on the weekly holiday, the bill, prepared by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah but presented by State Law Minister Shahadat Awan, received an outright rejection, in its present form, from many senators— immediately after it landed in the upper house of the Parliament.

The government wanted the bill to sail through the house without referring it to the relevant standing committee — like previous bills were passed on Thursday – including the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2023.

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But, the legislators Irfan Siddiqui from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), Mushtaq Ahmed Khan from Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Kamran Murtaza from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F), Humayun Mohmand from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Tahir Bizinjo from National Party (NP) spoke in criticism of the bill.

PML-N’s Siddiqui said that getting the bill passed from the house straightway without referring it to the relevant standing committee would entail “detrimental consequences.”

“This bill originated from Senate instead of National Assembly. It cannot just be approved without being reviewed, carefully,” he said.

“Once this bill gets through—it would be difficult to avoid its consequences in future. Lest we regret after having this bill passed,” he opined, suggesting that the bill be referred to the relevant committee.

Mushtaq Khan, the JI senator, said, the Prevention of Violent Extremism Bill 2023 would prove to be “last nail in the coffin of democracy.”

He said that the bill aimed at banning the PTI. “This bill is not only against the PTI but also against all the political parties. It is an attempt to tighten noose around political parties in the garb of legislation,” he argued, demanding that the bill be referred to the committee.

Earlier, he tweeted that the efforts of the government to “minus or eliminate head of any political party by state’s coercive measures are simply wrong.”

Rejecting the bill, JUI-F General Secretary Haideri criticised the chairman Senate’s decision to summon the Senate on weekly holiday “for this kind of hasty legislation.”

After hearing arguments from different senators from treasury and opposition benches, Sanjrani finally announced to drop the bill.

According to this bill, any person, who commits violent extremism, shall, on conviction be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to 10 years but shall not be less than three years and with a fine which may extend to two million rupees but shall not be less than Rs 500,000.

The bill provides that any person who violates any order issued under this act or any other provisions of this act, shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment which may extend to five years but shall not be less than one year, and with a fine which may extend to one million rupees but shall not be less than Rs 500,000.

The bill further provides that any organisation found involved in violent extremism may be fined up to Rs 5 million but not less than Rs 500,000.

On conviction, such an organisation shall immediately stand dissolved or wound up, as the case may be, notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, the bill reads.

It says that a person would be guilty of violent extremism if he “supports, encourages, promotes, instigates, foments, advocates, justifies, commits or threatens to commit the show or use of force or violence or any hostile action, not permitted under the law, for resolution of any ideological belief, or any political, sectarian, social, racial, ethnic and religious issue.” The bill bars the person(s) found guilty of violent extremism from taking part in “elections at any level.”

Regarding the leaders and office-bearers of the organisations found guilty of violent extremism, the legislative draft provides: “The passport of the leader, office-bearer, and member, associate of employee shall be impounded and no travel document shall be issued to him and nor shall he be allowed to travel abroad.”

All assets, properties and bank accounts in the name of the listed organisation shall be immediately frozen and seized, the bill says.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023