PBC condemns amendments to Official Secrets Act

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) on Thursday strongly condemned the proposed amendments to the “Official Secrets Act, 1923”, wherein intelligence/secret agencies are granted blanket powers to raid and detain any citizen, or enter/search any person in any place, without obtaining search warrant from any court of law.

In a statement issued here Haroon-ur-Rashid, Vice-Chairman and Hassan Raza Pasha, Chairman, PBC Executive Committee have strongly condemned the proposed amendments in the “Official Secrets Act, 1923”, wherein intelligence/secret agencies are granted blanket powers to raid and detain any citizen, or enter/search any person in any place, without obtaining search warrant from any court of law, even under suspicion of them breaching the law, which is unethical and against the norms & justice as well as violation of articles 8, 9 & 10 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

They expressed their concerns and expect from standing Committee of the Senate of Pakistan to reject the proposed amendments in the act ibid. They further demanded from the government to immediately withdraw this move i.e. “The Official Secrets Act Amendment Bill 2023” and said that the legal fraternity always struggled for supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law in the country and any such move will be opposed by tooth and nail.