NA extends Army Act (Amendment) Ordinance as MQM protests

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) on Monday extended the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Ordinance 2015 for a period of 120 days with effect from June 25 amid a strong protest from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and a verbal clash between the defence minister and the MQM parliamentarians.
The MQM members also staged a walkout from the House when parliamentarians belonging to the opposition and treasury benches allowed an extension in the period of the ordinance.
As Deputy Speaker Murtaza Abbasi asked Defence Minister Khawaja Asif to move a resolution for an extension in the ordinance, the MQM members rose in their seats and started shouting ‘no, no’. The MQM parliamentary leader, Abdul Rashid Godel, was of the view that as per the decision of the Advisory Committee, no business except a debate on the budget could be held in the House.
According to an amendment in the Pakistan Army Act, the ordinance states that “Notwithstanding anything in this Act or any other law for the time being in force, any person arrested,provisions include court’s sitting in camera, not publishing names of court officials involved.
Khawaja Asif, responding to protest of MQM members, said they are opposing the ordinance as they fear that it would expose their black deeds and they may have to face courts.Responding to another allegation against the PML-N leadership, the defence minister said the MQM leaders are used to tendering apology in the evening for what they have said in the morning of the same day. He said the real immigrants (Mohajir) are those who migrated from Ludhiana and Jalandhar.
The situation further deteriorated as the MQM continued sloganeering against Pakistan Army (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015.Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, speaking on a point of order, clarified that it was a constitutional matter and any ordinance had to be extended by the National Assembly before its expiry.
He said the government will bring the ordinance in the shape of bill later. Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, who earlier had gone to his chamber to offer Maghrib prayers, said the government could bring its business in the House adding that only question hour and calling attention notice have been suspended.
According to an amendment in the Pakistan Army Act, the ordinance states that “notwithstanding anything in this Act or any other law for the time being in force, any person arrested, detained or held in custody by the armed forces, civil armed force or law enforcement agencies and kept under arrest, custody or detention before the coming into force of the Pakistan Army Act, 2015 shall be deemed to have been arrested or detained pursuant to the provisions of this Act as amendment by the Act if the offence in respect of which such arrest or detention was made also constitutes an offence as mentioned in Sub Clause III and IV”.
The statement of objects and reasons of the ordinance states that an extraordinary situation and circumstances exist which demand special measures for speedy trial of certain offence relating to terrorism, waging war or insurrection against Pakistan and prevention of acts threatening security of Pakistan by any terrorist group.
Meanwhile, resuming debate on the budget for the next financial year, Ghous Bux Khan Mahar called for reduction in duration of loadshedding and zero duty on import of solar panels to promote solar energy in the country. He also wanted more allocations for health, education and maintenance of law and order. He said there should be no interference in recruitment in police department.
Ali Gohar Khan Mahar said his district Ghotki was contributing significantly to national kitty and wanted special development package for the district to address its problems like lack of educational and health facilities and infrastructure. He wanted local quota for employment in oil and gas companies working in Ghotki.
Abdul Qahar Khan Wadan demanded supply of gas to all district headquarters in Balochistan and conversion of tube wells to solar power. He wanted sufficient allocations for Zhob-DI Khan road, for education in Fata and increase in export to bring down trade deficit.
Lal Chand was of the view that the new budget contains nothing significant for the common man. He criticised withdrawal of subsidy on electricity, wanted further increase in salaries of government employees and strict implementation of the minimum wages announced by the government.
Shakila Luqman said the present government has presented a balanced budget despite huge losses to the economy due to terrorism. She said announcement of Chinese president to invest forty six billion dollars in Pakistan was unprecedented. She lauded measures of the government that helped check inflation.
Sheikh Salahuddin believed that the budget would increase inflation. He demanded allocation of more resources to address problems of Karachi like terrorism, unemployment and water shortage.He also proposed that police personnel should be proportionate to the population of Karachi to take care of law and order problems.
Imran Zafar Leghari of PPP said that there was nothing in the budget for the common man. He challenged budgetary figures and statistics saying that GDP growth rate as mentioned by the finance minister in his budget speech was not correct.
Sher Akbar Khan called for interest-free economy and banking system. He said the government has depended largely on loans to meeting budgetary targets. “The government should do away with un-Islamic clauses in the finance bill,” he said.
Jamshed Dasti also rejected the budget proposals which he alleged had been prepared on the IMF dictation. “This is not budget presented by a democratic government,” he said.
APP adds: Meanwhile, the National Assembly offered Fateha for the departed souls of Shuhada who embraced shahadat in operation Zarb-e-Azb.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed led the Fateha and prayed Allah Almighty to rest the departed souls in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved families to bear the loss with equanimity.