ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Saturday wrote a letter to the heads of all political parties, seeking their support for passage of “Protection of Pakistan Ordinance 2013” from the Parliament.
Sharif’s government has promulgated two ordinances in as many weeks to further tighten the noose around terrorists.
In the new ordinance, the minimum punishment for terrorists involved in various crimes has been set at 10-year imprisonment.
The ordinance is aimed at strengthening the hands of law enforcement agencies against terrorists and ensuring speedy disposal of cases by the courts.
A lawyer, however, had challenged the newly-promulgated ordinance in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday, saying some of its sections are against the fundamental rights of the citizens as enshrined in the constitution.
The main opposition Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had alsorejected the new ordinance a day earlier on Wednesday terming it “an assault on the fundamental rights” of citizens.
In the letter, the premier said the proposed legislation was meant to give a strong message to the organised crime and anti-state elements regarding the will and determination of the state and the people to face and eliminate all challenges to the national integrity and sovereignty.
“I am sure that you will spare some time to give it a reading and support the government in its passage through the Parliament in due course with the same spirit and determination that you exhibited during recent All Parties Conference.”
Sharif said the people had elected them to the Parliament with the hope to end the extended regime of terror unleashed since the adoption of post 9/11 policies.
The prime minister observed the decades of dictatorial regime and mis-governance had resulted into complete erosion of the state’s writ and authority. “Apart from the remote areas, safe havens in urban centres and towns have also become a cause of serious concern,” he added.
“Coupled with the failure of law enforcement agencies responsible for internal security and prosecution of crime, due to a variety of reasons, we are currently facing a situation where life and property of the people is in grave danger,” he said.
On the other hand, the premier said the organised mafia was roaming free due to legal vacuum created by constant tampering with different legislations, over an extended period of time.
Consequently, the socio-economic fabric of the society as well as the age old value system binding this nation was in danger of disintegration, he added.
With a view to the potential unfolding events in post-2014 Afghanistan that the federal government considered it imperative to put in place a legal mechanism for intervention to protect the right and liberty of the common man as well as the sovereignty and integrity of the state, he said.
Sharif further said a team of legal and security experts had worked diligently to ensure that the new law was in complete consonance with the Constitution of Pakistan.
In a latest development, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to take all parties into confidence on peace talks with Pakistani Taliban. He directed the minister during a meeting at the PM House in Islamabad.
The prime minister said that all political parties of the country had given the PML-N government the mandate to hold talks with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) at the Sept 9 APC.
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