Parliament passes Mutual Legal Assistance Bill 2020
Under the law, govt would be able to transfer in custody to Pakistan a person in foreign country
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The joint sitting of parliament on Thursday passed The Mutual Legal Assistance (Criminal Matters) Bill, 2020.
A joint sitting of Parliament was held under the chairmanship of Speaker Asad Qaiser. Prior to the joint sitting of Parliament, the government and the opposition agreed on the draft Mutual Legal Assistance Criminal Matters Bill 2020 after which it was presented in the House.
However, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Jamaat-e-Islami, PKMAP, National Party and Independents members Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir strongly opposed the bill and created ruckus during the presentation and voting of the bill.
Law Minister Forough Naseem presented the clause wise bill for approval.
Pakistan Peoples’ Party’s (PPP) Agha Rafiullah withdrew his amendment saying that most of their amendments have been accepted. While Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha of PML-N said that their reservations on the bill have largely been addressed, so they withdraw their amendments.
Under the law, the government would be able to make mutual legal assistance request to a country to “inquire about the location and identification of witnesses, suspects, perpetrators and offenders; have evidence taken or documents or other articles produced; obtain search warrants or other lawful instruments authorising a search for evidence relevant to investigations or proceedings in Islamic Republic of Pakistan, located or as permissible under the domestic law of that country believed to be located in that country and if found, to seize them as permissible under the domestic law of that country; freeze or seize properties that may be the subject of investigations or proceedings through relevant legal process in that county; and transfer in custody to Islamic Republic of Pakistan a person in foreign country who consented to assist Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the relevant investigation or proceedings”.
Meanwhile, the joint sitting of the parliament also unanimously adopted a resolution, rejecting emphatically India’s illegal and unilateral actions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir since 5th August 2019.
The resolution moved by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the illegal actions are aimed at perpetuating India’s inhuman occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.
The resolution said that Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute and longest outstanding item on the agenda of UN Security Council, categorically stating that illegal steps cannot alter the disputed status of the territory.
Reiterating Pakistan s full support to the Kashmiri people in their legitimate struggle for right to self-determination, the Parliament demanded the Indian government to immediately lift military siege in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and rescind the illegal and unilateral actions of 5th August 2019.
The resolution demanded India to stop its illegal measures to change demographic structure of the occupied territory. It also called upon India to withdraw nine hundred thousand troops from the territory and give Kashmiri their inalienable right to self-determination.
The Majlis-e-Shoora called upon the international community to use all tools at its disposal to hold India accountable for its illegal and unilateral actions and human rights violations against the Kashmiri people.
It urged the international community to pressurize India to adhere to its international human rights obligations and allow international media and Independent Observers entry into the Indian Illegal Occupied Jammu and Kashmir to investigate and examine the excessive use of force and violence against the Kashmiri people.
Parliament demanded India to remove restrictions on media, Internet, movement and peaceful assembly in the Occupied Territory, besides, repealing the draconian law.
Parliament in its resolution stressed the BJP government’s threatening statements, belligerent rhetoric and irresponsible posture pose a grave threat to peace and stability in South Asia.
It underscored that BJP-RSS dispensation is driven by a toxic mix of extremist ideology and hegemonic designs which are a threat to the Kashmiris under its occupation as well as its minorities and peace and stability of the region.
