SWABI, July 19: Leaders of various political parties have said the Hasba bill would create anarchy and chaos in the NWFP by leaving the masses at the mercy of religious leaders. At an open discussion forum, Rabita, organized by the Abaseen Union of Journalists here on Tuesday, the leaders said the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government had political motives behind tabling the bill and getting it passed through the assembly.

ANP’s district president Haji Rehmanullah said the bill had given absolute powers to the ombudsman who would act in accordance with his own beliefs and no one could challenge him. In such a situation, where would the people go to seek remedy, he questioned.

Enactment and implementation of the bill would not only have far-reaching implications for the country’s politics, it would also tarnish its image in the comity of nations, he added.

The ANP leader said the bill allowed meddling of police in the internal affairs of people, which might not be acceptable to them.

People’s Party Parliamentarians leader Manfat Khan said the NWFP governor would not sign the bill in its present form and without his assent it could not become a law.

Former district Naib-Nazim Liaquat Ahmad Khan also criticized the bill and said the bill had been passed only for political reasons on the belief that it would help them get public support in upcoming local bodies elections. But the people, he said, were well aware of such ploys and knew what the regime really wanted in the garb of this bill.