By Naveed Butt | Ali Hussain

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly, Monday, passed as many as seven bills including “The National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2021” and “the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, 2021”.

During the passage process of “The National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2021”, opposition members from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA Syed Agha Rafiullah pointed out the lack of quorum, as the house visibly was not in order.

However, Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri took almost an hour (56 minutes) during the counting process by waiting for the treasury members to re-join the house to fulfil the required number necessary for quorum.

According to parliamentary proceedings observers, it was perhaps for the first time in the parliamentary history that the chair had to wait for almost an hour without suspension of the proceedings till he announced the house was in order, as senior PTI parliamentarians had to contact the treasury members over the telephone to rush to the house.

The opposition parties strongly opposed “The National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2021” and termed it mala fide intention of the government. They said this legislation could be challenged in the court.

PPP senior leader Syed Naveed Qamar said while opposing the bill that the government promulgated the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance, 2021 to give the extension to the prosecutor general and the chairman NAB.

He said that it is a one-sided legislation and to protect the prime minister and his cabinet from future accountability.

“This legislation is against transparent accountability and we oppose it,” he said.

The members of the other opposition parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) opposed the bill.

According to the National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2021, the prosecutor general accountability shall hold office for the period of three years and shall be eligible for re-appointment for a similar term.

The bills, which were passed by the house include, “The Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, 2021”, “The Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Amendment) Bill, 2021”, “The National Commission on the Rights of Child (Amendment) Bill, 2021”, “The Juvenile Justice System (Amendment) Bill, 2021”, “The Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2021”, “The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021” and the National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari who moved the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, 2021 bill which was introduced in the House on May 21, this year, said the bill was okayed by the standing committee on human rights headed by PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. She thanked the opposition for their cooperation in the passage of the bill.

She said that the bill would provide for establishment of Commission for the Protection of Journalist and Media Professional.

The independent commission will inquire into complaints against threats or acts of torture, killing, violent attacks, forced disappearance, and arbitrary arrests. The reports of the commission would be laid before the Parliament through the Ministry of Human Rights.

The bill would provide for measures to actively investigate, prosecute and punishing acts of violence and any threats to journalists thus, protection of their lives.

Two ordinances were laid before the House, which include the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 and the National Accountability (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2021.

Minister for Law and Justice, Muhammad Farogh Naseem laid the ordinances.

The House also referred the two bills for consideration and passage at the joint sitting of the Parliament. These include the Islamabad Capital Territory Charities Registration, Regulations and Facilitation, Bill, 2021 and the COVID-19 (Prevention of Hoarding), Bill, 2021.

This article first appeared in Business Recorder on November 9, 2021