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killed, 15 injured in LAW MINISTRY REBUTS AS PRESIDENT ALVI 20 bus fire after colliding van near Pindi Bhattian DENIES HAVING SIGNED TWO KEY LAWS Monday, 21 August, 2023 I 3 Safar, 1445
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g MINISTRY ASKS PRESIDENT TO g PPP SAYS ‘STAFF UNDERMINED MY , PML-N DEMAND WILL AND COMMAND’ BY GIVING ‘TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS RESIGNATION OF ASCENT TO OFFICIAL SECRETS, OWN ACTIONS,’ CITING PRESIDENT AFTER HE ARMY ACT AMEND BILLS ARTICLE 75 OF CONSTITUTION DENIED SINGING BILLS
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ISLAMABAD
SALEEM JADOON
HAT is being described as “surprising and unprecedented,” President Arif Alvi on Sunday denied having approved two crucial legislations – Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2023 – while the law ministry quickly rebuked his statement, asking him to “take responsibility for his own actions.” A day earlier, it was reported that President Arif Alvi had signed the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2023 into law. After the approval from the National Assembly, both the bills were presented in the Senate where treasury members criticized the bills, forcing the Senate chairman to refer the matter to the standing committee. Later, some controversial clauses of the two bills were removed and the bills were re-presented in the Senate. After approval, they were sent to President Alvi for his signature. So far, the President House has not released a statement. Section 6-A of the secrets act creates a new offence of unauthorised disclosure of the identities of members of intelligence agencies, informants or sources. The offence would be punishable by up to three years in jail and a fine of up to Rs10 million. The Army Act paves the way for the punishment of up to five-year rigorous imprisonment to any person guilty of disclosing any information, acquired in an official capacity that is or may be prejudicial to the security and interest of Pakistan or the
armed forces. One of the amendments in the act accords more powers to the army
chief and barred ex-servicemen from engaging in politics as well as taking up ven-
tures, which could come into conflict with the army’s interest. It also proposed imprisonment for defamation of the army. Taking to the social media platform X on Sunday, Presdient Alvi denied having approved the two laws. “As God is my witness, I did not sign Official Secrets Amendment Bill 2023 & Pakistan Army Amendment Bill 2023 as I disagreed with these laws,” he said. “I asked my staff to return the bills unsigned within the stipulated time to make them ineffective,” he added, “I confirmed from them many times whether they have been returned and was assured that they were. However, I have found out today that my staff undermined my will and command”.
Bills become law after no objection from president within ten days: Caretaker Law Minister
ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Minister for Law and Justice Ahmed Irfan Aslam on Sunday said that under Article 75 of the Constitution, a bill automatically becomes law if the President didn’t approves or reject it within stipulated time period of ten days. Caretaker Minister for Law and Justice Ahmed Irfan Aslam was addressing a press conference along with Caretaker Minister for Information Murtaza Solangi here. The law minister said that the caretaker government has no political agenda and its mandate was also limited. He said that being the head of the federation, the president is revered in all of our hearts. He said that ‘The Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2023 was received by the presidency on August 2, while Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill reached there on August 8, after being passed by the two houses of the Parliament. The caretaker law minister said that when a bill is sent to the President, he has two options: either to approve the bill or
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send it back to the Parliament with his observations in writing. There is no third option under Article 75 of the Constitution, he said, adding that ten days of time period is fixed in the Constitution to exercise one of these options. Ahmed Irfan Aslam said that the President has exercised these powers many times in the recent and distant past. The President gave observations in many laws and also sent back bills to the Parliament, he said. Before today, he said, no such situation has come before us that anything has returned from the presidency without the signatures of the President. The law minister said that these two bills have not been received back from the President Office despite Article 75 of the Constitution clearly provides a period of ten days in order to avoid any political ambiguity. If the President does not exercise the authority within this time period, the bill is considered to be approved and automatically becomes law as per the constitution, he said. STAFF REPORT
HAFIZABAD
STAFF REPORT
At least 20 people including six of same family died and 15 others sustained multiple injuries when a passenger bus caught fire after hitting a pick-up van laden with drums of diesel on M-3 Motorway near Pindi Bhattian. A statement issued by the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) said that timely action was taken and 15 passengers were safely evacuated. The dead and injured passengers were shifted to the hospital, it said. NHMP further said that Inspector General Sultan Ali Khawaja also visited the scene of the accident and oversaw relief work. He also expressed grief over the lives lost in the accident. Hafizabad District Police Officer (DPO) Dr Fahad Ahmad told the media that the passenger bus was heading for Islamabad from Karachi, adding that the accident occurred at 4:30am. The DPO said that the passenger bus had collided with the pick-up truck, which caused the former to burst into flames. He said that the drivers of both vehicles were killed in the accident. He said that the seriously injured, some of whom were critical, were being shifted to a hospital in Faisalabad. The accident happened because the driver of the passenger bus fell asleep and his vehicle smashed into a pick-up van carrying drums of diesel. The bus suddenly caught fire. As a result, 20 passengers died and 15 sustained serious injuries. The process of identifying the burnt passengers is still going on and the officials said the Islamabad-bound bus, coming from Karachi, was carrying 35-40 passengers. Hafizabad DPO Dr Fahad said that bodies of the passengers died in the accident have been shifted to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital. He said that the fire engulfed the bus shortly after it hit the pick-up. He said most of the injured are in critical condition. According to Rescue 1122, its teams reached the scene within five minutes of being informed. Among those who died in the accident included six members of a same family, while those injured belonging to Karachi, Khairpur, Faisalabad, Jalalpur Bhattian, and Pindi Bhattian. Hafizabad DSP Ahsan Zafar said that the passenger bus was burnt into ashes after crashing into the van carrying drums of diesel.
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