During a meeting chaired by PTI Senator Mohsin Aziz, the Senate Standing Committee on Interior unanimously approved a bill to repeal Section 124-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), commonly referred to as the ‘Sedition Law.’ Section 124-A criminalizes acts that bring hatred or contempt towards the federal or provincial government through spoken or written words, signs, visible representation, or other means. In March of this year, Lahore High Court’s Justice Shahid Karim declared Section 124-A unconstitutional, stating that it violated multiple articles of the Constitution.
The committee meeting saw the approval of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2023, introduced by PTI Senator Fawzia Arshad. PPP Senator Mian Raza Rabbani expressed that the bill had been misplaced in the secretariat and emphasized its objective of transforming the style of government. Senator Rabbani argued that Section 124-A belonged to a bygone era and was irrelevant in contemporary times, where the notion of rebellion has evolved. He acknowledged the LHC’s ruling and the government’s appeal against it but stressed that parliamentary activities should not be halted due to ongoing judicial proceedings.
Additionally, the committee discussed the Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which focused on the registration of existing and new madrassas. JUI-P Senator Molvi Faiz Muhammad advocated for madrassa registration to be accessible in every district of the country, objecting to the English language used by ICT Administration officials. However, the officials explained that the registration procedure was already in place under the Charities Act.
Furthermore, the committee considered the Cutting of Trees (Prohibition) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, put forth by PPP Senator Palwasha Mohammed Zai Khan. The bill was adjourned for reintroduction in the next committee meeting. Senator Abdul Qadir humorously remarked that the committee chair had managed to irritate the JUI-P senator.
