ISLAMABAD: Two bills to further amend the constitution and establishment of military courts for another two years were introduced in the National Assembly on Friday.
These are “The Constitution (Twenty-eighth Amendment) Bill, 2017” and “The Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2017” to further amend The Pakistan Army Act, 1952 were introduced in the National Assembly on Friday.
The bills were moved by Law Minister Zahid Hamid.
Speaking on the bills, the Minister said in 2015, the Parliament had passed two bills including Twenty-first (Amendment) Bill, 2015 and “The Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2015 giving powers to Military Courts to hear the cases of hardcore criminals. He said positive results were received through these steps.
The Minister said the country is still going through extraordinary circumstances and facing many challenges. Therefore, it is necessary that these measures should continue.
He pointed out that under these bills the steps taken in 2015 will get extension of two years. He said the government wants to pass these bills with consensus.
JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman expressed reservations on the bills and said his party cannot support these in the present form. He said that terrorism should not be linked with religion as terrorists have no religion, tribe or nationality. He said the state has the right to eliminate those who pick up the arms against the state.
Dr Azhra Fazal Pechuho of PPP opposed the bills and said these are discriminatory and provide a tool for political persecution. Shaikh Salahuddin of MQM also expressed reservations on the bills.
Earlier the main opposition party, the PPP says it will move amendments in the bill and if these were not accepted, they would boycott the voting.
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said there is a need to create consensus on the legislation.
The House passed “The Post Office (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
Moved by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad, the bill provides to further amend the Post Office Act, 1898.
