ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: Pakistan People’s Party has denounced new anti-terror law as draconian and striking at the sovereignty of parliament.

Condemning this new amendment, a spokesman of the chairperson of the party, Farhatullah Babar, said in a statement here on Monday that the amendment allowing the regime to deprive any one of his freedom for one year without any charges and without recourse to the courts was most arbitrary, seriously undermining the authority solely of parliament to make laws.

He said the new law bypassed the courts, parliament and was dangerous as it would spread more terror in civil society rather than giving rid of society from the terrorists.

The spokesman added: “The Pakistan People’s Party condemns this arbitrary and unjust law, which on the one hand, gives enormous powers to the regime to curb freedoms without recourse to courts, on the other deals a blow to the elected parliament just on the day it came into being.

“It is the prerogative of the elected representatives of the people in parliament to make laws after discussion and debate among members representing a cross-section of political parties and public opinion. It is not the station in life of a handful of un- elected government servants to make laws for 145 million citizens.

“That a handful of paid government servants make a law of far-reaching importance for the citizens within a day of the swearing in of the new parliament amounts to mocking at the sovereignty of parliament and ridiculing the elected members.

“Experience has taught that military and terrorism cannot be curbed merely by making more and more draconian laws. More than anything else, curbing military requires mustering political will to implement existing laws without fear and favour.

“A regime which is known for having supported militants for long and runs with the bare and hunts with the hound cannot be trusted with such draconian powers in the name of containing militancy.

“Such draconian laws adopted in the name of some noble objective have always been misused against political opponents of the government.

“The blatant and shameful manner in which the so-called accountability law has been used by the military regime to manipulate elections, break political parties and achieve desired political results is a glaring example of a draconian law being employed to advance personal political agenda.

“As the misuse of accountability law has failed to achieve the desired political results to its heart’s content the regime has come out with yet another law, this time in the name of curbing terrorism.

“The party urges the human rights bodies, members of the legal fraternity and enlightened public opinion to condemn and denounce the new law and persuade the regime to leave the matter to be decided in parliament.

“The party urges the Supreme Court to take notice of the new law as was done in the case of the law proposing to set up military courts over three years ago.”