ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, in response to strong opposition from parliamentarians, referred the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill 2023 to the relevant standing committee on Wednesday.
Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the bill in the upper house of parliament, but it faced significant resistance from both the treasury and opposition benches.
Opposition to the bill came from the former ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the ruling alliance’s component party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), and the National Party in the Senate. Prominent figures like PPP’s senior leader and former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani and PML-N’s Afnan Ullah Khan also opposed the proposed amendments to the Official Secrets Act 1923, urging Sadiq Sanjrani to reject the bill.
The previous day, the outgoing government managed to pass the bill through the National Assembly. The amendment bill was introduced by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Murtaza Javed Abbasi in the upper house.
The bill aims to make the Official Secrets Act 1923 more effective, considering the changing social landscape and ensuring the safety and security of official documents.
Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill key points
- A new insertion, 2(A), in Section 11 grants intelligence agencies the authority to enter and search a place or person without a warrant, using force if necessary. They can seize any document, sketch, plan, model, article, note, weapon, ammunition, electronic or modern device, or any evidence related to an offense under this Act.
- An insertion, 12A, designates the FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) officer not below the rank of BPS-17 or equivalent as the investigation officer under this Act. The FIA director-general may appoint a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) comprising officers from intelligence agencies, if necessary.
- The JIT is required to complete its inquiry within 30 days. Cases related to civil espionage will be investigated by the FIA or JIT.
- The amendment in Clause B of Section 12 reduces the punishment for an offense from 14 to 10 years, making it a cognizable and bailable offense, except when punishable with imprisonment for up to ten years.
During the introduction and passage of the bill, Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali protested its hasty handling without providing copies to members. However, copies of the bill in English were immediately distributed among the members. Chitrali also highlighted the violation of the Constitution as copies of the bill in Urdu were not provided.
