The Senate on Tuesday passed the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2015 aimed at protecting court officials and witnesses, and providing them indemnity against prosecution in any other court of law.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif moved the bill to further amend the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, in the Upper House, which was passed with a majority vote.
Senator Farhatullah Babar, however, called for wide circulation of the proposed bill to gauge public opinion but his suggestion was turned down by the government. The PPP senator was of the view that the proposed Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2015 was inconsistent with the recent judgment of the Supreme Court on challenges to the 21st and the 18th constitutional amendments.
Opposing the defence minister’s motion to get the bill passed, Babar said “the SC in its majority verdict of 13 to 4 had held that the Parliament could make constitutional amendments but such amendments were subject to judicial review.”
The statement of objects and reasons of the bill said: “An extraordinary situation and circumstances exist which demand special measures for speedy trial of certain offences relating to terrorism.”
“There exists a grave threat to the integrity of Pakistan owing to raising of arms and insurrection by terrorist groups,” the bill read.