NA refers Anti Terrorism (Third Amendment) Bill 2020 to joint session

NA refers Anti Terrorism (Third Amendment) Bill 2020 to joint sitting of the Parliament.

The National Assembly today adopted a motion referring the Anti-Terrorism (Third Amendment) Bill, 2020 to the joint sitting of the parliament for consideration and passage.

NA refers Anti Terrorism (Third Amendment) Bill

Meanwhile, taking the floor, Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan urged the opposition members to allow the house function as per the rules and regulations and the constitution. He said nobody can be allowed to hold hostage the proceedings of the house.

He made the remarks following the opposition parties staged walk out from the house after exchanging harsh words with the treasury benches over the issue of quorum.

The house has now been adjourned to meet again tomorrow at 11 a.m.

Meanwhile, Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Wednesday approved the Anti-Terrorism (Third Amendment) Bill, 2020 with majority votes.

National Assembly also passed it.

Senate Committee approves bill

The Committee which met with Rehman Malik in the Chair discussed the anti-terrorism bill as introduced by introduced by Senator Sajjad Hussain Turi in the Senate.

Senator Sherry Rehman proposed three amendments in the bill but the committee rejected it with majority votes. Senators Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Muhammad Javed Abbasi, Sherry Rehman and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar expressed some reservations over the bill.

Minister for Narcotics Control Azam Khan Swati assured that the reservations of members would be addressed in rules once it became a law. Amendments could be brought in the law at any time, he added.

Rehman Malik said that there was dire need of legislation related to Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in larger interest of the country. However, it was also important to view which legislation was necessary for FATF, he said.

He said the letter received from FATF should also be provided to the committee. All parliamentarians were making efforts to make such legislation which benefit the country and its people, he added.

The meeting was attended by leader of the House in Senate Dr Shahzad Wasim, Senators Rana Maqbool, Muhammad Javed Abbasi, Mian Muhammad Attiq Shaikh, Kuda Babar, Sherry Rehman, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Sajjad Hussain Turi and Minister for Narcotics Control Azam Khan Swati and senior officials of the interior ministry.

GTV