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India-Pakistan
NWFP Assembly passes Hasba Bill
2006-11-14
The NWFP Assembly passed the controversial Hasba Bill with minor amendments amid fiery speeches and the usual circus a walkout by the opposition here on Monday. Speaker Bakht Jehan Khan was in the chair. The beaming NWFP Chief Minister, Akram Khan Durrani, thanked the House for smooth passage of the bill. He claimed that it would now lay a solid foundation for provision of quick and inexpensive justice to citizens, especially to those belonging to the poor segment of society.

The joint opposition, terming the Hasba Bill unconstitutional and ultra vires, said that it was against the verdict of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The opposition members said that the bill would jeopardise the entire system. They condemned the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal for selecting an inappropriate time for tabling the controversial bill. "The religious alliance wants to get political mileage out of it and appoint its workers on important positions before elections," a member said.

Earlier, the opposition legislators belonging to the ANP, the PPPP, the PPP (Sherpao) and the PML, wearing black armbands, walked out of the House. MPs of the PML-N, a member of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf and independents did not join the protest. Those who did not join the walkout also included Israrullah Khan Gandapur of PPP-S and Nighat Orakzai of PML-Q. However later, the PML-Q MPA said that she remained in the House intentionally only to say "no" to the Hasba Bill. The MMA would have passed the bill unanimously, but now with her negative vote, it was passed with a majority vote instead of unanimously.

Earlier, Nighat Orakzai, who wore a black band around her forehead, returned her copy of the bill to the speaker on the plea that it carried sacred names, and shouted: "Martial law of Maulvis is not acceptable."

Provincial Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Malik Zafar Azam moved the bill in the House. The House adopted 6 out of 25 amendments moved by PPP-S MPA Israrullah Khan Gandapur. The speaker read the bill clause-by-clause and sought the consent of the House. The young Gandapur withdrew his three amendments while the treasury benches rejected his other sixteen amendments when the speaker put them to voice vote. Former deputy speaker and dissident MMA MPA from Mardan, Ikramullah Shahid, who had earlier been terming the Hasba Bill unconstitutional and suggesting the chair to refer it to the select committee, withdrew all his amendments and joined his colleagues in the walkout after delivering a speech. Another MMA dissident MPA from Shangla, Pir Muhammad Khan was conspicuous by his absence and that is why all of his proposed amendments lapsed. The lone parliamentary leaders of their respective parties — Dr. Salim of Swabi Qaumi Mehaz and Mian Nisar Gul of PTI supported the bill by not joining the opposition.

Former speaker and PPPP parliamentary leader, Abdul Akbar, demanded speaker's ruling on why his amendments were not included. He did not agree with the chair and quoted relevant rules to prove that all his amendments were moved on time but they were ignored.

Earlier, opposition leader Shahzada Gustasip, parliamentary leaders Bashir Ahmad Bilour (ANP), Abdul Akbar Khan (PPPP), Sikandar Sherpao (PPP-S), Mushtaq Ghani (PML-Q), former deputy speaker, Ikramullah Shahid, Khalil Abbas, Israrullah Gandapur and Nighat Orakzai, opposed the bill and asked the speaker to refer it to the House standing committee for improvement.

Bashir Bilour, in his hard-hitting speech, criticised the MMA for making political mileage out of the Hasba Bill, saying it would further enhance sectarianism and divide the already divided sects. He posed a question as to how the MMA would implement the Islamic system in the province when courts would be deciding matters under the existing British law. Why did the government not concentrate on the existing laws instead of complicating the existing system by appointing provincial, district and tehsil Mohtasib, who would be above the law and would not be accountable to anyone? Was this being done because the existing departments, its officers, ministers and chief minister were inefficient and how would they bring improvements under the Hasba Bill?
Posted by:Fred

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