Pakistan’s National Assembly Approves New Law for Public Meetings in Islamabad
Islamabad [Pakistan], September 7: Pakistan’s National Assembly has passed the ‘Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024,’ which regulates public meetings in Islamabad. This comes just before the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally scheduled for September 8.
Key Provisions of the Act
The new law, which is awaiting the president’s approval, includes the following key points:
- A three-year jail term for participating in unauthorized public meetings.
- Up to ten years in jail for committing offenses during such gatherings.
- Designation of specific areas for public meetings, such as Sangjani, a suburb of Islamabad.
- Permissions for meetings will be granted by the deputy commissioner, with appeals possible to the chief commissioner and home secretary.
- The police can disperse gatherings at any time, even if permission has been granted.
- The district magistrate has the authority to ban meetings and must provide written reasons for doing so.
Opposition and Support
The bill faced protests from the opposition, particularly from PTI’s Jamshed Dasti, who pointed out a lack of quorum. However, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq declared the house in order after a headcount. PTI leader Barrister Ali Zafar objected to the bill, claiming it was designed to prevent PTI’s rally. Senator Siddiqui defended the legislation, stating it was not aimed at any specific rally and allowed for gatherings in designated areas.
Implementation and Enforcement
The district magistrate will assess the law and order situation and obtain security clearance before granting permission for meetings. The government can declare specific areas of Islamabad as red or high-security zones. The police have the authority to disperse assemblies by force if they disrupt law and order.
Earlier, the Senate had also passed a bill proposing up to three years imprisonment for participants of unauthorized assemblies in the federal capital. Pakistan’s Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar confirmed that the permission for PTI’s September 8 rally was still intact.
Doubts Revealed
National Assembly -: The National Assembly is a group of people who make laws for the country. In Pakistan, it is like a big meeting where important decisions are made.
Islamabad -: Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan. It is where the government offices and important buildings are located.
Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024 -: This is a new law that tells people how they can gather in public places in Islamabad. It aims to make sure that these gatherings are peaceful and orderly.
presidential assent -: Presidential assent means that the President of Pakistan needs to agree and sign the law before it becomes official.
unauthorized gatherings -: Unauthorized gatherings are meetings or events that happen without permission from the government.
deputy commissioner -: A deputy commissioner is a government official who helps manage a district or area. They will give permissions for public meetings in Islamabad.
PTI -: PTI stands for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which is a political party in Pakistan. They are opposing the new law.
rally -: A rally is a large public meeting where people come together to support or protest something. PTI has planned a rally on September 8.
