Sweeping surveillance powers against Pakistani citizens
21 Dec 2012 7:55 AM IST
Pakistan's National Assembly on Thursday passed a bill that will give intelligence and security agencies sweeping powers to conduct surveillance and collect data from SMSs and emails, with the premier saying the law was aimed at ‘enemies of humanity and terrorists’ and not against ordinary citizens.
The National Assembly or lower house of parliament approved the Fair Trial Bill 2012 after incorporating amendments proposed by the main opposition PML-N and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, which is part of the ruling coalition led by the Pakistan People's Party.
‘This bill will prove helpful in sending a message to terrorists that the whole country is united against them and accepts their challenge,’ Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said after the bill was passed. The main purpose of the bill is to eliminate terrorism, he said.
Against the backdrop of concerns expressed by some political parties and civil society groups, Ashraf said the bill was aimed against ‘enemies of humanity and terrorists, and not against ordinary citizens’. ‘It will protect the lives of ordinary citizens and save them from terrorists,’ he said. ‘We have given a message to the whole world by passing this bill that we want to strengthen our law enforcement agencies and security agencies in every way so that they are successful in the war against terrorism’. He criticised terrorists and questioned why they were targeting people like vaccinators involved in a nationwide anti-polio drive.
Over the past three days, nine health workers, many of them women, have been gunned down in attacks in Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
The bill will have to be passed by the Senate or upper house of parliament and approved by the President before it can become law.
Earlier this month, a parliamentary panel had approved the Fair Trial Bill that will allow intelligence and security agencies to conduct covert surveillance and present electronic data from SMSs and emails as evidence in court.
The cabinet approved the bill in September.
INDIAN TEAM IN PAK FOR 26/11 TALKS
A four-member team of Indian legal experts has arrived in Pakistan to finalise the terms of reference of a judicial commission that is expected to visit India next year to gather evidence on the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The delegation, led by a joint secretary of the Home Ministry, includes legal experts from the Home and External Affairs Ministries. Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam - who handled the prosecution of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist involved in the Mumbai incident - is also part of the team. It will hold talks on Thursday and on Friday with Attorney General Irfan Qadir and other Pakistani officials to finalise the terms of reference for the second judicial commission that will go to India to investigate the Mumbai attacks.
The National Assembly or lower house of parliament approved the Fair Trial Bill 2012 after incorporating amendments proposed by the main opposition PML-N and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, which is part of the ruling coalition led by the Pakistan People's Party.
‘This bill will prove helpful in sending a message to terrorists that the whole country is united against them and accepts their challenge,’ Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said after the bill was passed. The main purpose of the bill is to eliminate terrorism, he said.
Against the backdrop of concerns expressed by some political parties and civil society groups, Ashraf said the bill was aimed against ‘enemies of humanity and terrorists, and not against ordinary citizens’. ‘It will protect the lives of ordinary citizens and save them from terrorists,’ he said. ‘We have given a message to the whole world by passing this bill that we want to strengthen our law enforcement agencies and security agencies in every way so that they are successful in the war against terrorism’. He criticised terrorists and questioned why they were targeting people like vaccinators involved in a nationwide anti-polio drive.
Over the past three days, nine health workers, many of them women, have been gunned down in attacks in Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
The bill will have to be passed by the Senate or upper house of parliament and approved by the President before it can become law.
Earlier this month, a parliamentary panel had approved the Fair Trial Bill that will allow intelligence and security agencies to conduct covert surveillance and present electronic data from SMSs and emails as evidence in court.
The cabinet approved the bill in September.
INDIAN TEAM IN PAK FOR 26/11 TALKS
A four-member team of Indian legal experts has arrived in Pakistan to finalise the terms of reference of a judicial commission that is expected to visit India next year to gather evidence on the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The delegation, led by a joint secretary of the Home Ministry, includes legal experts from the Home and External Affairs Ministries. Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam - who handled the prosecution of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist involved in the Mumbai incident - is also part of the team. It will hold talks on Thursday and on Friday with Attorney General Irfan Qadir and other Pakistani officials to finalise the terms of reference for the second judicial commission that will go to India to investigate the Mumbai attacks.
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