Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on Sunday decided to drop ‘The Prevention of Violent Extremism Bill 2023’ from agenda only to take it up again on Monday.
The bill, aimed to curb violent extremism in Pakistan, faced intense scrutiny and after fierce opposition from lawmakers, including members of the ruling coalition during the session which was called on Sunday.
The proposed legislation sought to hold individuals accountable for advocating and employing violent means to achieve their objectives. It targeted those who encouraged others to use force, propagated extremist material through various media channels, manipulated public beliefs, and provoked sectarian tensions. With 33 articles and 100 sub-clauses, the bill’s scope extended to politicians and the general public alike.
Many parliamentarians, including those from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, questioned the urgency of presenting the bill on a Sunday and during public holidays. They argued for adherence to proper legislative procedures to ensure the bill’s credibility and effectiveness.
PTI’s Mohammad Humayun Mohmand raised suspicions about the bill’s intention, suggesting it could be aimed at hindering PTI’s participation in future elections. The PTI members also contended that several clauses in the bill appeared to target their party specifically.
Jamaat-i-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmad accused the bill of being an attempt to undermine democracy, raising concerns about its potential misuse to suppress political parties in the future.
Senator Tahir Bizenjo of the National Party (NP) criticized both the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for making decisions without consulting their coalition partners. He voiced strong opposition to the bill, stating that it posed a significant threat to democracy.
In light of the overwhelming opposition and concerns raised by various senators, Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani made the decision to drop the bill from the day’s agenda. He emphasized that the bill would be revisited on the next working day and assured that due legislative processes would be followed.
