RAWALPINDI: A Bill to amend Section 153-B of the Pakistan Penal Code is to be introduced in the National Assembly tomorrow [July 7]. The amended section will allow political parties to enlist the support of students. However, if the students associated with a political party are found indulging in activities prejudicial to law and order, both the students and the political party concerned will be liable to penal action. At present, the association of students with political parties is prohibited totally.

The amendment is designed to bring the Penal Code in conformity with Fundamental Rights. The Law Ministry after detailed scrutiny of the Criminal Procedure Code has found it in line with the Fundamental Rights and there is no need of any amendment in the Criminal Procedure Code. Some suitable amendments in the Security Act are also envisaged to make it more liberal.

[Meanwhile, as reported by agencies from Cairo] the Arab League’s Committee for the Arab (Persian) Gulf last night rejected a reported British offer that the Arab League aid to the trucial States could be channelled through a British-sponsored development fund. The trucial States, under an 1892 agreement with Britain, were not to enter into relations with other powers. The Committee also paid tribute to the “nationalist stand” of Sheikh Saqr Al-Qassimi, deposed ruler of Sharjah, who has said his deposition was engineered by Britain to forestall his plan to develop relations with the Arab League.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2015

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