ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Friday passed two government bills aimed at encouraging foreign states to have economic and business relations with the Pakistan and to criminalize the heinous crime of enforced disappearance.
Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar moved the Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions Bill, 2022. The Bill aims to provide for a mechanism to carry out a commercial transaction under an inter-governmental framework agreement and to promote, attract and encourage foreign states to have economic and business relations with the Pakistan. This Bill has been already passed by the Senate with amendments and it unanimously sailed through the National Assembly.
Minister for Law and Justice also moved the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022 which aims to criminalize the heinous crime of enforced disappearance with impunity that surrounds the practice of enforced disappearances and bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice so as to provide closure to the families.
One of the Section 514 of the Bill, the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022, was opposed by the lawmakers including Sardar Akhtar Khan Megnal (BNP-M), Mohsin Dawar (Independent ), Maulana Abul Akbar Chitrali (MMAP), Shazi Mari (PPPP) and Osama Qadri (MQMP). The section 514 is about the allegation or complaint in respect of enforced disappearance. According to this section, Whoever files a complaint or gives information that proves to be false he or another person has been subjected to Enforced, Forcible or Involuntary Disappearance, or an attempt has been made in this regard, he shall be guilty of an offence punishable up to five years imprisonment and fine up to Rupees One hundred thousand.
Lawmakers were of the view that this section would discourage the complainants to lodge the complaint as it is commonly very much difficult for the heirs to prove their point of view in such cases. Minister for Law and Justice said that this particular portion of the bill suggested punishment if complaint is found false of fake after proper trail. However, he agreed to omit this section from the bill after objection raised by the lawmakers and the Bill was passed after omitting this particular section.
Chairman Standing Committee on Law and Justice Ch. Mahmood Bashir Virk presented the report of the Standing Committee on the Qanun-e-Shahadat (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
The House did not take up two calling attention notices appearing on the agenda and the House was adjourned later to meet again on October 24 (Monday) at 5 pm.