Key Takeaways
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati referred the controversial legislation to a standing committee for review.
- The law grants blue passports, arms licenses and blanket immunity from preventive detention to lawmakers.
- KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi ordered a review of the legislation following public criticism.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati has referred a controversial law that seeks to expand the powers and privileges of lawmakers to the house’s standing committee for further scrutiny. The legislation, passed in April, includes provisions such as granting blue passports to members and their spouses, arms licenses, blanket immunity from preventive detention, and making the speaker's permission necessary before arresting members on criminal charges.
The law has faced significant criticism from various quarters, including media outlets and the general public. KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi ordered a review of the legislation last week following these criticisms. In response to the concerns raised, KP Information Minister Shafi Jan announced that the government would withdraw the controversial clauses and align them with the 1988 Act.
Addressing a press conference in Peshawar, Jan stated that the committee will re-examine the contentious clauses. He noted that the act had remained under discussion for several days, with concerns being raised by journalists, the public, and PTI workers regarding certain provisions. According to Jan, CM Afridi convened a meeting of the provincial cabinet following these consultations.
During the meeting, it was decided that the controversial clauses should be withdrawn for reconsideration. A meeting was held under the chairmanship of the assembly speaker, attended by parliamentary leaders from all political parties and the leader of the opposition. After hearing their views, the speaker directed that the disputed provisions be referred back to the Standing Committee on Privileges.
The information minister added that since the bill had originally been presented by the Standing Committee on Privileges, it would review the contentious provisions within one week and align them with the 1988 Act. He also stated that members of the journalist community and the public will be welcomed to submit their recommendations.
Jan maintained that most provisions of the new law were identical to those in the 1988 Act, except for the clause relating to blue passports. However, he clarified that the draft approved by the provincial cabinet did not contain any provision extending blue passport facilities to members’ children or spouses, nor granting them as a lifetime entitlement.
The information minister further stated that the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa signed the bill on May 6 and it was notified in the official Gazette on May 7. He claimed that no objections were raised at the time, suggesting that the issue has been deliberately highlighted to divert attention from another case involving Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s grandson.
Both the PTI and the provincial government have reservations over the slow pace of the investigation into this incident and will not allow it to be brushed aside. The minister also mentioned that similar amendments had already been made in other provinces.
Following consultations with the speaker of the provincial assembly, it was decided that the controversial clauses should be withdrawn for reconsideration.
Shafi Jan, KP Information Minister
