The National Assembly on Monday passed "The Protection of Pakistan Bill, 2013" amid protests by the opposition parties and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government's ally Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F). The opposition members tore copies of the bill in shreds while registering their protest in front of the Speaker and raised slogan "no, no, never go."
All the opposition parties staged walkout from the House twice in protest and pointing out a lack of quorum respectively to block the passage of the bill. The Opposition said that this law could be misused in future even against the PML-N when it would not be in power.
The Opposition parties also staged another walkout from the National Assembly in protest against the resolution to extend the "Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013, The Sales Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2014 and The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2014" laid before the House. The Opposition said that it is against the sprit of 18th Constitutional Amendment to bulldoze law through ordinances.
Speaking on the bill, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Shah, said that his government passed a majority of the legislations with complete consensus of the then opposition during their five-year term. "The government has the majority to pass the bill but it would be better if the matter is postponed for a day or two for consultation with the opposition parties," he said. Shah also said the government could bulldoze the opposition parties, as it has the majority in the National Assembly to pass the bill "but the bill would get stuck in the Senate where PML-N doesn't have the required numbers to pass the legislation."
He said the legislation is made for the betterment of people; therefore it would be against the spirit of the constitution if the bill is adopted without taking opposition's viewpoint. MQM's parliamentary leader Dr Farooq Sattar described the Pakistan Protection Bill as regressive and against fundamental rights of citizens. "How many terrorists the government has apprehended and tried in the 240 days when the Pakistan Protection Ordinance was effective," he questioned.
Sattar said the government was negotiating peace with terrorists and militants who had beheaded armed forces personnel and civilians while the legislation was being brought for specific areas including Karachi. "The government should specify the enemy of state in the legislation; otherwise innocent people would become its victim," he said, questioning the release of 19 militants by the government in recent days.
He also questioned that if the militants released by the government were not involved in any crime, then why they were held by the law enforcement agencies. PTI Parliamentary Leader in the House Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the treasury benches should take the opposition into confidence over the legislation. "It would send a good message to the masses if the bill is adopted unanimously," he said. He specifically questioned the provision in the bill that allows the law enforcement agencies to hold people under suspicion for 90 days without getting any remand.
JUI-F member Maulana Ameer Zaman said his party is an ally of the government but they cannot support the bill in its present form. "We are not consulted by the treasury benches on the bill despite being an ally of the government," he said. He said the government should appreciate the sensitivity of the matter and consult his party to make necessary changes in the bill. "Why the government is hell-bent to make Pakistan a police state?" he questioned.
Zaman suggested the government to drop the bill as it was against the spirit of the constitution and democracy. "We cannot leave our citizens on the mercy of law enforcement agencies," he said. Sahibzada Tariq Ullah of Jamaat-e-Isalmi (JI) also opposed the bill. He said that this law could be misused in future for political victimisation. While opposing the ordinances, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah said the ordinance should be brought in emergency. He said that the good governance means following the Constitution and law of the land.
Aftab Ahmed Sherpao said if the government starts legislation through ordinances, it will mar the spirit of the 18th Constitutional Amendment. Dr Farooq Sattar of MQM said there is a provision in the Constitution to promulgate an ordinance if it is urgently needed. He said the government has decided to run its affairs through ordinances. While responding to the opposition, Federal Minister for Defence and Water and Power Khawaja Asif said the government laid down the ordinance to curb the theft of electricity. He said that almost Rs 100 million is receivable from the Sindh government. He said that there is a 2100 MW Power shortfall, which causes 6 to 8 hours load shedding in the country. He said that there is need of 1700 MW more electricity to overcome loadshedding. He said that 2000 MW would be added to the system in the next three months. He said, "The country is facing a Rs 1000 billion loss due to power loadshedding annually".