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Hasba Bill passed again

* Opp MPAs call bill unconstitutional, will set up parallel judicial system
* CM says bill is not ‘martial law of mullahs’

By Zakir Hassnain

PESHAWAR: The NWFP Assembly passed the controversial Hasba Bill, with amendments, for a second time on Monday, as the outraged opposition walked out in protest at the “unconstitutional” legislation.

Opposition lawmakers, wearing black armbands and headbands in protest, branded the bill an attempt to set up a parallel judicial and police system in the province that the mullahs would abuse for their own ends. The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) described it as a step towards the Islamic system that it promised in its election manifesto.

The bill was first passed in July 2005, but the Supreme Court struck it down, rejecting some of its clauses as unconstitutional. The MMA government removed the controversial clauses and tabled it again on October 31, 2005, but the bill was suspended due to the October 8 earthquake.

Law Minister Malik Zafar Azam presented the bill in the house on Monday, with 69 amendments to 30 articles of the bill proposed by Israrullah Gandapur of the PPP-Sherpao and Ikramullah Shahid and Pir Muhammad Khan of the MMA.

However, Ikramullah Shahid withdrew his amendments and left the house while Pir Muhammad Khan was absent. The house adopted a few amendments moved by Gandapur.

Abdul Akbar Khan of the PPP Parliamentarians complained that the amendments he had submitted were not included in the agenda. PPP-S leader Sikandar Hayat Sherpao said Hasba was a weak and ambiguous law that the MMA would use to harass its political opponents.

Azam said the Hasba Bill was drafted by people from all schools of thought and would provide speedy justice for all. “It’s in the interest of people and not for political purposes,” he said.

The house echoed with shouts of Allah-o-Akbar when Speaker Bakht Jehan announced the bill had been passed with amendments.

Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani said the Hasba Bill was a step towards a complete Islamic system in the province. “Hasba is not the martial law of the mullahs,” he said.

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