President signs 'Peaceful Assembly, Public Order Bill 2024' into law
Pakistan
Both houses passed the bill despite opposition outcry
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Following approval from both houses of the parliament, President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday gave assent to ‘Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024’.
With the approval by the president, the bill has turned into law and ready to be implemented.
Under the new law, Islamabad DC would grant permission for rallies. In case of rejection, an appeal could be made to the Chief Commissioner.
The bill aimed to regulate public gatherings to ensure they do not disrupt public order.
After the passage of the bill in NA with a majority vote on Friday, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar said the purpose of the bill was to maintain peace during public assemblies and processions.
He dismissed the opposition’s concerns, noting that the increasing number of demonstrations in the federal capital had caused significant inconvenience to citizens.
Tarar added that, “the ‘Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill 2024’ is an effort to ensure that the public order is not disturbed by public gatherings.
He rejected the notion of the opposition and said the federal capital was seemingly “under siege” and the growing number of processions had made the lives of citizens miserable.
