ISLAMABAD: The Senate, Thursday, passed four bills including the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill 2024, a law that attracted strong backlash from the opposition legislators who alleged that the legislation aimed to stop Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from holding public gatherings, the upcoming Islamabad Jalsa, in particular.

The house witnessed turbulence after the treasury side sought leave to present the bill following its passage by the relevant Senate panel.

Allegedly, the bill provides sweeping powers to district administration officials related to official permissions for public gatherings in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). The bill provides that no “assembly” shall take place without prior permission of the district magistrate.

“Whoever having been convicted by a court in Pakistan of an offence punishable under this act with imprisonment for a term of three years or more shall for every subsequent offence be liable to imprisonment for a term that may extend to ten years,” the legislation notes.

The bill provides that the “event coordinator” of an “assembly” shall apply in writing to the district magistrate not later than seven days of the intended date of the assembly.

“Provided that if the application is not filed earlier than seven days of the intended date of the assembly, the district magistrate may decline the permission if event coordinator fails to provide justifiable and reasonable grounds for late filing of the application,” reads the legislative draft.

The bill says that the district magistrate, before granting permission, shall examine the prevailing law and order situation and obtain security clearance reports from law enforcement agencies.

The legislation empowers the government to designate any specific area in ICT as red zone or high-security zone to bar “all types of assemblies in that area.”

The district magistrate, according to the bill, is authorised to ban any assembly within the ICT if it “poses a risk to national security or public safety.”

An officer-in-charge of a police station, on the instruction of the district magistrate, may command any assembly likely to disturb the public peace to disperse, according to the bill.

Saleem Mandviwalla from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Samina Mumtaz Zehri from Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Irfan Siddiqui from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), Faisal Sabzwari from Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and Umer Farooq from Awami National Party (ANP) are the joint movers of the bill.

Taking the floor, Siddiqui urged Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani to allow presentation of the bill, saying, it aims to facilitate public gatherings at the designated places, he said.

Law Minister Azam Tarar said the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill 2024 aims to ensure that the public order is not disturbed by the public gatherings.

“This bill will cost you dearly,” remarked Leader of the Opposition in Senate Shibli Faraz, addressing the treasury side.

“The only purpose of this bill is to sabotage PTI’s public gathering,” he said, referring to upcoming Jalsa scheduled on Sunday in Sangjani, Islamabad.

PTI Parliamentary Leader in Senate Ali Zafar also said that the government, in the garb of legislation, was trying to stop PTI from holding the Jalsa.

The house finally passed the bill with a majority vote.

Zafar lambasted Mohsin Naqvi for Pakistan cricket team debacle, and demanded his resignation as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief.

The house also passed three government bills; the Privatisation Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024, Apostille Bill 2024 and Establishment of Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal Bill 2024.

The Privatisation Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024 provides for the Privatisation Appellate Tribunal to hear cases related to privatisation.

The Apostille Bill 2024 aims to “simplify the authentication process of public documents to be used abroad” for overseas Pakistanis.

The Establishment of Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal Bill 2024 aims at establishing Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal to hear cases related to electronic crimes.

Earlier, the house witnessed intense exchange of harsh words coupled with profanities between PPP’s Shahadat Awan and PTI’s Saifullah Abro. The chairman Senate suspended the Senate proceedings for a few minutes, and summoned the two senators in his chamber where the matter was resolved. When the house proceedings resumed, Awan and Abro shook hands and embraced each other. The Senate was adjourned till Friday (Sept 6).

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024