KARACHI: Mian Raza Rabbani, the leader of PPP’s parliamentary party in Senate, has said that the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance adopted by the National Assembly and now under consideration in the upper house is not acceptable to his party in its present form and the Awami National Party, PML-Q and Balochistan National Party-A also are of the same opinion.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, he said the parties would oppose the ordinance in the Senate without incorporation of the 12 amendments submitted to the government.

He said the name of the legislation should be changed to the Protection of Pakistani Citizens Bill and its period should be reduced to two from three years, after which its extension should be through a new bill and not through a resolution.

He said the law should be enforced throughout the country and not in selected areas.

Senator Rabbani said foreign combatants taking up arms against Pakistan, militants taking up or encouraging to take up arms against the country or any foreign state and citizens suspected of militant activity should be dealt with separately. He said restrictions within constitutional limits could be applied in the case of the first two categories but those in the third category should have the right to judicial oversight.

He said the PPP opposed the PPO when it had been issued and also expressed reservations when it was presented in the Senate.

The PPP leader said the four parties understood that the ongoing terrorism in the country called for such a law but it should be within the ambit of the constitution.

He said the remand period should be reduced from 90 to 45 days. A suspect should be presented for extension of remand and it should not be allowed more than three times.

He said the government’s draft gave the shoot at sight power to law-enforcement personnel, but one of the proposed amendments said that a judicial commission headed by a sessions judge should investigate a death taking place in such circumstances without awaiting an announcement from the government.

When a search operation is inevitable, a list of items seized should be presented before a local magistrate within 24 hours.

He said that instead of the federal government the power to appoint judges for special courts under the new law should be exercised by the Chief Justice of Pakistan after consulting the chief justices of high courts. Appeals against decisions of the special courts should be heard by the high courts.

The senator said an ordinance could be extended only once and the government had exhausted this option by enforcing the original and the amended PPO.

Replying to a question, he said the PPP, ANP, PML-Q and BNP-A were ready to hold talks with the government on the proposed amendments.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2014