NA passes Criminal Law (Amend) Bill amid ‘uproar’
* Bill seeks to criminalise illegal business, dealing in fake prize bonds
* Opposition criticises govt for not being allowed to move resolution against price hike
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday passed ‘The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2010’ amid huge uproar by the opposition for not being allowed to move a resolution against the price hike.
Rumpus by the opposition in the National Assembly continued on the second day on the escalating prices of petroleum products along with the general price hike and they tried to move a resolution for voting on the recent increase in fuel prices.
Speaking on a point of order, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Pervaiz Malik sought permission of the chair to move a resolution against the price hike. On it, Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, who was presiding over the session, said that the resolution could only be moved through rules and procedures.
He said that as many as 80 members had signed the resolution and asked Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi to allow him to move it by suspending the business of the House.
“There is a two hours discussion on the adjournment motions moved by the PML-N and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) regarding the price hike on the agenda of today’s sitting therefore you can debate on the issue,” Kundi said.
Syed Khurshid Shah said that the opposition was just creating trouble in the House. “There is a debate on the price hike in the agenda then why don’t you go for it. The opposition should move a resolution through the proper procedure,” he said.
As the opposition was not ready to discuss the price hike, taking legislative business, Deputy Speaker asked Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar to lay the statements of accounts of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan.
The enraged PML-N and PML-Q MNAs stood up on their seats and started shouting against the government, but their ‘uproar’ could not stop the deputy speaker from the legislative business and he asked Syed Khurshid Shah to move The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2010, which was passed within two minutes amid strong resistance from the opposition benches.
The bill seeks to criminalise illegal business and dealing in fake prize bonds aiming at preventing a financial loss to the innocent public and securing increased investment in the national saving schemes.
During the fiery debate, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) member Khushbakht Shujaat said that if fake degree holders can reach the parliament, then surly they could be found in educational institutes as well. The debate gradually became more heated and chaotic as members of the ruling and opposition parties went out of control.
The move prompted the opposition lawmakers to create a clash in the House with a prolonged thumping of desks and chanting slogans standing over their seats.
Source: Daily Times
Date:11/12/2010
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