ISLAMABAD: Resistance in the parliament to adopting the Pakistan Protection Ordinance (PPO), promulgated by the PML-N government last October, as law ended on Wednesday with the opposition parties in the National Assembly agreeing to pass it in the form, as amended by the Senate. But it seems criticism of its harsh provisions, in general, would linger on.
Even the opposition parties in the parliament predicated their assent with the government ensuring that the law is not used for victimising political opponents or innocent individuals.
PPO attempted to cover up loopholes in the existing anti-terrorism laws that helped suspected terrorists escape conviction in courts. It invited wide criticism for the excessive powers it granted to law enforcement agencies to deal with terrorists, or lawbreakers, fitting its definition.
Human rights organisations found two of its clauses, which allowed police to shoot a suspect at sight after shouting a warning and to keep anybody in preventive detention for 90 days, particularly reprehensible.
They dubbed the PPO a draconian law and other critics agreed that the provisions clashed with the basic rights guaranteed by the constitution.
Now both houses of the parliament have whittled down these provisions, restricting the preventive detention period to 60 days and shooting orders only to police officer of grade 15, as well as the life of the amended law to two years, instead of the three years of the PPO.
INTERNEWS
