Senator Raza Rabbani follows to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Shaeed and tore up the copy of bill
Channel: Mediatrack Pakistan
Date: 03/08/2023

ISLAMABAD: A bill to amend the century-old Official Secrets Act was referred to the relevant standing committee of the Senate on Wednesday after it faced fierce opposition from both sides of the aisle when taken up for passing in the upper house of Parliament.

The outgoing government quietly got the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023 passed by the National Assembly (NA) yesterday in a bid to grant blanket powers to intelligence agencies, which will be able to raid and detain any citizen, even under suspicion of them breaching the law.

According to the Senate agenda for today, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan was to move the bill for passing.

However, in his absence, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the bill amid loud opposition from both sides of the aisle.

Following that, Senate Chairperson Sadiq Sanjrani said the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023 stood referred to the standing committee.

The bill

The amendments in the secrets act have broadened the definitions of military installations and bring digital and modern means of communication into the law’s ambit. According to experts, this could bring vloggers and bloggers within the ambit of the law as well.

The definition of a “document” has been widened as it now includes “any written, unwritten, electronic, digital, or any other tangible or intangible instrument” related to the military’s procurements and capabilities.