Govt tables election, national accountability ordinances in NA

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar on Thursday laid before the National Assembly Election (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 and the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed members of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) termed promulgation of two ordinances ‘politically motivated moves’.

SIC chief whip Aamir Dogar took a strong exception to the promulgation of two ordinances, particularly the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance 2024. He said that in April 2023, the then PDM government reduced the period of physical remand of an accused from 90 to 14 days and he questioned as to what happened that the incumbent government again increased the remand period from 14 to 40 days. “The only reason is that they fear prisoner number 804,” he said. He questioned as to what respect the law minister and his government had for the House when presidential ordinances were being promulgated in the presence of the National Assembly. “Whether the law minister will defend the remand of 40 days or 14 days,” he wondered. He said the PTI founder was bravely facing all the fake cases, adding that the fate of other cases would be like that of cipher case.

Addressing the Speaker, he recalled that in 2013 when he constituted an electoral reforms committee, it was decided that retired judges would not be appointed in election tribunals. “Retired judges to be hired on high salaries will decide cases on merit and in short time,” he said.

Law Minister Tarar said that he is saying it with full responsibility on the floor of the House that the Elections Act 2017 on which all the parties’ representatives were agreed has been restored.

He pointed out that an amendment to the Elections Act 2017, which was made in 2018 regarding the exclusion of retired judges in election tribunals, has been included again. “I will resign right now on the floor of House if I am giving wrong statement here,” the law minister repeatedly said.

Tarar said the high courts conveyed to the government that they were overburdened with 82,000 cases and could not spare judges for election tribunals. He said that ordinances were promulgated when the National Assembly was not in session. He said ordinances now have become properties of the House and now it was up to the members they amend the same or not. “The matters will be decided through voting in the House,” he said.

Taking a jibe at Imran Khan, he said that it was prisoner number 804 who himself was saying that he should be remanded for 90 days not for 14 days.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan also raised objections on the promulgation of Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 saying that it was true that retired judges were part of 2017 Elections Act. But, he said that later in August 2018, through an amendment, retired judges could not be appointed on election tribunals. “Now the government through the latest ordinance, has done away with the same clause,” he said.

The House also extended the Seed (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 for a further period of 120 days with effect from 13th of June 2024 as per clause (2) of Article 89 of the Constitution.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan called for putting an end to enforced disappearances in the country. “We condemn this culture of Vigo and aliens in the country,” Omar said while speaking on a point of order.

The opposition leader said that they wanted to be citizens of a civilised nation and not a banana republic. He also condemned restrictions being imposed on the use of camera by media persons and YouTubers in premises of the Parliament House.

Contradicting reports of giving facilities to the PTI founder in prison, he said the imprisoned leader was being kept in eight into five feet cell. He said that a CTD team raided the house of two brothers of a member of his party’s social media team. “His brothers and elderly mother were manhandled by the raiding team whereas they have nothing to do with politics,” he said.

Hafeezuddin of MQMP complained that there was no judicious distribution of development funds in Sindh province. Referring to President Asif Ali Zardari’s emphasis on good governance in the country, he said first his party should pay attention to good governance and maintaining law and order situation in their own province, particularly in Karachi.

Fatahullah Khan of PPP highly praised President Zardari for mentioning every national issue during his speech. At the same time, he regretted behaviour of opposition members during president’s speech. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, on a point of order, talked about sufferings of people who have been staging a sit-in the Chaman area of Balochistan province. He said that there are reports of armed clashes between protesters and law enforcement agencies after an attack on the sit-in. He demanded of the chair to direct Ministry of Interior to submit a report on the latest situation in Chaman.

Presiding officer Shehla Raza said the interior minister should come to the National Assembly and give a statement on the matter.

Fazl said that same was the situation in Angorada and Jamrud areas of KP province where the situation was also heading towards a clash between protesters and LEAs. He said that people are under protest for restrictions imposed on mutual trade between people living in bordering areas of the two neighbouring countries.

Syed Waseem Hassan of MQM talked about deaths of 25 people who lost their lives in a cylinder blast in Hyderabad and strongly condemned the federal government for not responding to sufferings of victims there. He demanded an inquiry into the tragic incident and complained about insufficient facilities in hospitals of Hyderabad to treat burn cases, adding that firefighting vehicles and teams arrived at the scene after two hours.