MPs’ body fails to agree on draft Ehtesab bill

ISLAMABAD: The Parliamentary Committee on New Accountability Laws is still undecided about the draft Ehtesab Bill and the definition of corruption and corrupt practices as well as about the definition of public office holders, despite agreeing on the new accountability commission and procedure of appointments.

It was decided that after discussion, these matters of formation of the accountability commission as well as definition of corruption and corrupt practices and definition of the public office holder would be decided on the basis of majority vote in the committee.

The meeting of the committee was held on Thursday under its chairman and Law Minister Zahid Hamid.  Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Law Minister Zahid Hamid said that it was agreed to pace up the efforts to conclude the task as soon as possible as it had been delayed. “The matters which are still undecided should be decided on the basis of majority votes and when voting is conducted in the committee, the parties should also ensure the presence of the members in the meeting,” he said.

He further said that though the decision was taken on the new accountability commission and the procedures of the appointment, yet the voting was to be conducted on it before making the final decision. “Voting would also be held on the matter of the definition of public officer holder,” he said.

He said the matter was discussed in Thursday’s meeting and it was yet to be finalised.  However, he said the PTI members had sought time to consult the party leadership.  Zahid Hamid said it was proposed in the meeting that the property of the accused would be attached when there was suspicion that accused might flee the country. “The political parties opinion also sought on it and they would give their opinion in this regard in the next meeting of the committee,” he said.

To a question, he said there was no change in the stance of keeping the judges and generals out of the ambit of the new accountability laws but two or three members of the committee desired to consult the matter with leadership of their respective parties once again. 

To a question, the law minister termed the news about demand of his resignation wrong.   Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Secretary General Senator Farhatullah Babar also resigned from the Parliamentary Committee on Accountability Laws after his party withdrew his proposal of across the board accountability including that of judges and generals.In his resignation from the Parliamentary Committee on Accountability Laws, Senator Farhatullah Babar cited the refusal of his party on his stance of “accountability for all, across the board accountability’ including of judges and generals so there was no basis to remain on the committee.

Senator Farhatullah Babar had proposed that judges and generals should also be held accountable. However, his proposal was dismissed by other members of Parliament as well his own party.

While two days back, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had also given clear party line through a tweet, of across the board accountability and accountability for all. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had tweeted, “It is unfortunate Parliament did not pass a more robust accountability bill. Without accountability for all and across the board accountability, our current partial and political process shall remain controversial.”

While on Wednesday speaking in a Pildat Roundtable discussing Reforms in Accountability System of Pakistan Senator Farhatullah Babar said that issues relating to corruption only should be under the domain of one accountability institution. That the Parliament and parties had agreed not having across the board accountability for all, wais a surrender of Parliament.

He had stated that his stance to support accountability for all emanated from his party’s position and he was surprised and embarrassed that his party had now joined other parties in Parliament to say that the accountability law should not extended to all institutions of the state.

He said that Senate demanded across the board accountability and political party representing the Parliamentary Committee on new Accountability Laws had also initially demanded the same. “Sudden reversal of this position as the meeting last month was nothing short of surrender,” he said while speaking at Pildat Roundtable discussing Reforms in Accountability System.

Earlier, Senator Farhatullah Babar resigned from the senate’s Defence Committee and though he did not give any reason for that, he raised questions over parliamentarians visiting the military headquarters.

Senator Farhatullah Babar had referred to an instance from 2003, saying when the GHQ wanted to give a briefing to parliamentarians, the latter were called to the headquarters.  The PPP leader said there was only a distance of 15 kilometres between the Parliament and GHQ, therefore, there should not be an issue for such a briefing to be given in Parliament.