KARACHI: The controversial Pakistan Protection Bill came under fire in the Sindh Assembly on Tuesday as lawmakers across the aisle criticised it openly when a private resolution was tabled by Khwaja Izharul Hasan of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. However, after an hour-long discussion the resolution was referred to the provincial assembly’s standing committee on law, parliamentary affairs and human rights for rephrasing the draft of the resolution and to report back to the assembly next week.

During the discussion MQM lawmakers pleaded for adopting the resolution with the consensus that PPO was a black law against humanity. PPP lawmakers also expressed their reservations and called for making suitable amendments to it by revisiting its draconian clauses that were contrary to the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution and wanted the draft of the resolution to be rephrased.

Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani, who was presiding over the session, suggested that the house adopt a consensus approach by referring it to the relevant committee. Since the MQM was in an accommodating mood, the resolution was referred to the standing committee for rephrasing the draft of the resolution.

The resolution reads: “This house strongly condemns and rejects PPO which is not only in violation of the Constitution of Pakistan but also supersedes the judicial system and power of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. This house recommends the government of Sindh to approach the federal government to withdraw the dictatorial, unconstitutional and undemocratic ordinance, which does not safeguard human rights.”

Earlier calling for adoption of the resolution unanimously Mr Hasan termed the PPO a ‘black law’ under which suspects could be detained for 90 days without stating reasons for arrest. Moreover, law-enforcement personnel could shoot suspects on sight, confiscate property without any proof of crime and cancel citizenship. The accused could not approach anyone for justice except the Supreme Court, he added. “This law is giving Pakistan a bad name,” he said.

MQM Parliamentary Party leader Syed Sardar Ahmad said that the lawlessness could not be tackled by laws that were a departure from the canons of justice. Begum Bilqees Mukhtar said the law was being used only against MQM instead of the Taliban who were involved in killing innocent people, children and women and beheading soldiers.

Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Syed Faisal Sabzwari said that the purpose of the resolution was to convey the feelings of the people of the province to the federal government. “Instead of introducing such black laws, there is a dire need to improve existing laws to make them effective,” he said. He added that after the enforcement of the it seemed that the Rangers and police had a licence to kill anyone. Other MQM lawmakers including Kamran Akhtar, Zafar Kamali and Waqar Hussain also opposed the PPB.

Other party leaders also spoke against the PPB. PTI Parliamentary Party leader Samar Ali Khan termed it a draconian law.

However, PML-N Parliamentary Party leader Irfanullah Khan Marwat felt that the law was a necessary requirement. “This law is not against any particular party but is aimed at checking terrorism in the country that is rampant not only in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and Balochistan but also in Karachi.” He added that if there were a couple of unsatisfactory clauses, they should be pointed out instead of rejecting them totally.

Minister for Works and Services Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani said in the country no place was safe as terrorism and targeted killing continued. “We should not go for a resolution in a hurry and refer the resolution to the standing committee concerned for rephrasing.”

Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said PPP was against the PPB as it was an anti-human law. “In Pakistan terrorism was firmly entrenched due to years of dictatorship and now we need such laws that could stem the terrorism issue.”

Earlier, a private resolution presented by PTI MPA Khurram Sherzaman to play the national anthem every day before the commencement of the session was discussed. However, after brief speeches about the sanctity of the national anthem and redrafting the resolution by the following people i.e. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sikander Mandhro, Senior Minister Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, MQM Parliamentary Party leader Syed Sardar Ahmad, Sharmila Farooqui of PPP, Dr Seema Zia of PTI, PML-F Parliamentary Party leader Nand Kumar, Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, the mover of the resolution withdrew it with the permission of the house.

The privilege motion that was tabled jointly by eight MPAs of MQM led by Muhammad Hussain pertaining to non-release of funds for their approved development schemes while the funds were released to other MPAs, MNAs and Senators, was termed non-maintainable and rejected by the chair.

Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Mandhro pointed out that the issue had already been discussed in the house and as such could not be taken up for consideration again under the rules. Besides, it was not the privilege of legislators to get funds released for their schemes.

Heer Soho of MQM, whose adjournment motion was on the order of the day, could not be taken up as she did not press for it after assurances from the parliamentary minister that the number of counters for payment of money to women from the Benazir Shaheed Income Support Programme should be increased from three to 12 so that a similar incident of March 28 in Larkana where one woman was killed and several others injured due to stampede should not recur in future. The minister regretted the incident however he said that since the governemnt had taken necessary steps hence such incidents would not reoccur in the future.