PML-N joins other political forces to oppose Hasba Bill

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Friday joined the political parties, who were opposing the Hasba Bill, saying that the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal’s explanation lacked logical reasoning. Anwar Kamal Khan, PML-N parliamentary leader in the NWFP Assembly, told Daily Times in an exclusive interview on Friday that his party would oppose the bill which was expected to be tabled in the house on Monday. “The constitution does not validate it,” he said, adding that the Hasba Bill – a parallel system – would paralyse the present system. The Awami National Party and the ruling PML rejected the draft of law on Thursday after Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani invited all parliamentary leaders in the NWFP Assembly to a briefing on the bill. “They (MMA) say that in the present system it is difficult to provide justice to people and want to introduce the Hasba Bill in the assembly. But that explanation does not justify its enforcement because the problem does not lie with the present system but with their way of governance,” he said. The PML-N parliamentary leader said if the MMA government could not implement its policies under the present system, it should resign. He said under the bill the chief minister would not only appoint the ombudsman, he would take up an appeal against his own appointee himself. “How can the chief minister go against the man who he himself has appointed?” he asked. Anwar Khan said the MMA would use the bill against anyone defying its policies. “The bill can be used as a tool against political opponents and government servants who criticise the government’s wrong policies,” he added. staff report

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