The government had to face embarrassment in the Senate when it introduced a bill in the house proposing amendments in the Protection of Pakistan Act (PoPA), 2014 – a law that has already expired for having sunset clause of two years. The government tabled the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2016 in the house that proposed amendments in the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), the Police Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Qanoon-e-Shahadat and the Protection of Pakistan Act, 2014 with the aim to strengthen the criminal justice system of the country under the National Action Plan (NAP). Being elected to parliament is a matter of much prestige, but it also brings with it great responsibility. Parliament is one of the most visible representations of a democratic set-up, the forum where the people’s representatives come together to legislate and oversee the business of government. Yet many parliamentarians do not accord it due importance, or recognise their duty to attend its sessions. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, for one, is virtually an unknown quantity in the National Assembly. So is Imran Khan — albeit one must add the same certainly cannot be said of Khursheed Shah, leader of the opposition. When a debate on the Aug 8 terrorist attack in Quetta was being held in the Senate a few days ago, several treasury members did not bother to show up, an inexcusable absence given the topic under discussion. There is also the matter of important bills, such as those pertaining to rape and ‘honour’ killing, long pending before the National Assembly. The public hopes that the lower house can rouse itself to pass them soon.
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