ISLAMABAD – The Senate on Friday passed a bill to amend the West Pakistan Regulation and Control of Loudspeakers and Sound Amplifiers Ordinance, 1965, in its application to the Islamabad Capital Territory which provides a mechanism to control misuse of amplifiers and loudspeakers.
The new bill, The West Pakistan Regulation and Control of Loudspeakers and Sound Amplifiers (Amendment) Bill, 2010, would serve as a major deterrent to the growing sectarianism. Religious leaders belonging to various sects promote their concepts by misusing loudspeakers, resulting in inter-sect clashes.
In accordance with the bill, those who misuse loudspeakers shall, in addition to any other law for the time being in force, be punished with simple imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or with fine which may extend to Rs 50,000 or both. To a point of order, Senator Raza Rabbani told the House that the Economic Affairs Division and the Foreign Office would take care of international agreements pertaining to the devolved ministries.
Senator Waqar Ahmad told the House that there was no plan under consideration to privatise the Pakistan Post, however, he said the shares of the Pakistan Post would be distributed among its employees. On a point of order, Senator Semeen Siddiqui asked the government to form a uniform policy on employment, adding that employees of PIMS and Poly Clinic were being sacked.
Giving a brief statement on floor of the House in reply to a calling attention notice, State Minister Ayatullah Durrani said that there was no shortage of urea fertilizer in the country. MQM senators including Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Shirala Malik and Abdul Khaliq Pirzada staged a boycott from the House on the chairman’s refusal to take up an adjournment motion on petroleum prices and energy crisis.
Punishment for misusing loudspeaker enhanced to one year in jail
