Senate passes bill to regulate public meetings in Islamabad
• Tarar says permission to PTI for Sept 8 rally in the capital ‘intact for now’
• Senators Shahadat Awan, Saifullah Abro mend fences after altercation
ISLAMABAD: As the Senate on Thursday passed a controversial bill proposing up to three years imprisonment for participants of an unauthorised assembly in the federal capital, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told the house that the permission granted to the PTI to hold a rally in Islamabad was intact “as of now”.
The rules were suspended for the immediate consideration of the ‘Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill 2024’ bill seeking to empower the district magistrate to regulate and ban public gatherings in Islamabad.
As soon as Senate Standing Committee on Interior Chairman Saleem Rehman introduced a report of the committee on the bill PML-N parliamentary leader Irfanul Haq Siddiqui pointed out that the Senate panel had approved the bill with an overwhelming majority of 6-1 votes.
He requested the chair to take up the bill for immediate consideration, adding that a motion to this effect was already on the agenda.
PTI leader Barrister Ali Zafar objected to the bill and said rules could only be suspended in case of inconsistency or difficulty in their application. He also said the bill was designed to prevent PTI from holding the Sept 8 rally in the federal capital.
Senator Siddiqui defended the proposed legislation, saying it had nothing to do with any rally. He pointed out that the law allowed rallies in designated areas.
Mr Nazir Tarar said the permission granted to the PTI for a rally in Islamabad on Sept 8 was intact “for now”. He said the PTI was allowed to hold the rally at a designated location, adding that the media coverage of the event would be ensured.
About the objection to the suspension of rules to pave the way for the bill, he said, the house made the rules and had a right to suspend them as well. He said this was not being done for the first time.
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Syed Shibli Faraz called the move ‘mala fide and misuse of the majority’, warning that the law would be used against the treasury in future.
The PTI senator then came down hard on Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, questioning his competency as a senior lawyer. He wondered why the law minister did not object when independent Senator Muhammad Abdul Qadir moved a private member bill in the house the other day, seeking an increase in the number of the Supreme Court judges.
Referring to articles 74 and 81 of the Constitution, he said that the bill involving expenditures from the Federal Consolidated Fund could only be introduced by the government. He pointed out that the law minister remained silent as the bill was tabled in the lower house of parliament.
PPP Senator Saleem Mandviwalla defended the move, saying that the PTI lawmaker Mohsin Aziz moved a money bill on the last private member’s day and the house even allowed it — a claim that was challenged by Senator Shibli who said it was not a money bill but about bank loans.
Law Minister Tarar in his response said that a money bill passed by parliament to increase the number of judges of the SC was struck down by the apex court in the past.
The court’s argument was that the number of judges could not be increased through a money bill, he said.
He explained that the facility of moving a private member bill is for the opposition because treasury members had the privilege to get any bill moved through the government.
“Do not mix up things. The bill about increase in number of judges is not such a bill that affects Article 74 and Article 81 of the Constitution,” he said.
Awan-Abro altercation
Another highlight of the proceedings was Senator Shahadat Hussain Awan of the PPP and Senator Saifullah Abro of the PTI burying the hatchet and embracing each other, two days after a quarrel during a Senate panel’s meeting.
At the outset, the Senate had to suspend proceedings after the issue of a recent altercation between the two lawmakers was raised in the house.
Senator Faraz said the PTI did not endorse “un-parliamentary norms” in the house and proposed the formation of a committee to look into the matter.
Regarding the Senate panel proceedings, Senator Shahadat Awan said what happened to him was intolerable.
He said Senator Abro accused him of being a “tout” and used foul language against him, adding that Mr Abro even threatened to hit him with a chair.
He said his “self-respect was dearer to him than the dignity of the Senate”. Venting out his anger, he levelled serious allegations about the personal character of Senator Abro and said he would not spare him.
Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2024