- Law minister says constitutional amendment to a major blow to hardcore terrorists; Fazl says state has right to eliminate terrorists, but shouldn’t wage war against religious people; MQM demands specific timeframe for military courts, reforms in criminal justice system; Durrani asks Imran to teach norms, manners to his party members, supporters
The federal government on Friday tabled two bills in the National Assembly seeking two-year extension to the military courts to help curb the recent wave of terrorism irrespective of the reservations expressed by its allied party – Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) – and two major opposition parties – the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM).
Minister for Law Zahid Hamid introduced the bills – The Constitution (twenty-eighth-amendment) Bill and The Pakistan Army (amendment) Bill – aimed at providing legal cover to the military courts for another two years. The government placed the bills comfortably after winning consensus of the opposition parties like the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), Jamaat-e-Islami and others.
On the sidelines of the session, the government is in talks with the treasury and the opposition parties in a bid to evolve consensus on both the constitutional amendment bills. Introducing the bills, the law minister expressed optimism that the new amendments would help deal a major blow to the hardcore and jet black terrorists.
He said that the government had been in a constant touch with all political forces to help evolve consensus over the new bills and nine meetings have been held in this regard. “Most of the parties endorsed the government’s proposals. Pakistan is still going through extraordinary circumstances and today we are facing many challenges. Therefore, it is necessary that these measures will continue,” he said.
JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman again expressed his party’s reservations over the bills, saying that his party cannot support these bill in the present form. “Terrorism should not be linked with religion as terrorists have no religion, tribe or nationality. The state has the right to eliminate those who pick up the arms against the state but it should not wage war against religious people,” he asserted.
Shaikh Salahuddin of the MQM also joined the JUI-F in protest, saying there should a specific timeframe for these military courts. “Till how many years the government will keep extending the timeframe of the military courts. Why the government does not reform the criminal justice system,” he argued.
Azra Fazal Pechuho of the PPP raised serious reservations over the bill, saying that the state should give right to appeal against the military courts decisions. Terming the bills as discriminatory, she called for removing some of the clauses from the bills. She reminded the ruling party that her party had proposed a nine-point formula which should be considered in the final draft of the bills.
“I also proposed some changes in the committee and the government needs to improve the draft bills,” she said. The statement of objects of ‘The constitution (twenty-eight-amendment) bill, 2017’ provides that due to extraordinary situation constituting grave threat to the security and integrity of Pakistan from various terrorist groups, armed groups, wings and militia or their members, it is proposed to continue special measures for a further period of two years.
“These measures have yielded positive results in combating terrorism,” the bill reads. According to the bill, an extraordinary situation and circumstances still exists which demands continuation of the special measures adopted for expeditious disposal of certain offence relating to terrorism, waging of war or insurrection against Pakistan.
It is necessary, the bill says, the terrorist groups including any such terrorists fighting while misusing the name of religion or a sect or by committing grave and violent act of terrorism against the state be tried in these courts. “The people of Pakistan have expressed their firm resolve through their chosen representatives to permanently wipe out and eradicate terrorists from Pakistan,” the bill concludes.
Talking to journalists in the Parliament House Lobby, Minister for Housing and Works Akram Khan Durrani observed that the PTI chairman was founder of abusive culture in Pakistan and his members and supporter were following him. He said the entire assembly was feeling ashamed on the dispute between two legislators.
He said that Imran Khan should teach norms and manners to his members and supporters. To a question, he said that the JUI-F was agreed with the statement of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan regarding banning of social media to stop blasphemy. He said that every incident of terrorism cannot be linked with the Islamic seminaries. Some people were making effort to create anarchy by linking terrorism with educational institutions which was regrettable, he said.