The Protection of Pakistan Act 2014, expired midnight at 12 am between Wednesday and Thursday after completing its two years. Several options are being considered by the federal government including an ordinance for its re-promulgation, according to a report in the local media.
“We have moved a summary to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for extension of two more years of this law,” key officials of the Interior Ministry disclosed while requesting anonymity.
Furthermore, the report stated that a summary has been moved bringing an ordinance for immediately resolving this matter as a number of anti-terrorism cases were being proceeded in four special courts established under POPA in provincial headquarters of Quetta, Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar.
The sources claim that initially an ordinance may be introduced by the government and later the issue could be presented to the parliament; however, a final decision is likely in the next cabinet meeting.
“There would be no immediate problem for the government because, according to the law even if government does not extend this law all the terrorism cases pending before these courts would be automatically transferred to the Anti-Terrorism Courts functioning in the country under ATA 1997 laws,” says Col (r) Inam ul Rahiem, a lawyer known for human rights cases and a council for missing persons as well. He added that POPA was never appreciated by the human rights activists and legal fertility in general as it is need of the time to strengthen the present judicial system.
