PM Imran assails opposition for blocking FATF-related bills | The Express Tribune

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday came down hard on opposition parties for creating hurdles in passing of crucial Financial Action Task Force (FATF) related bills in a joint session of Parliament.

Many opposition leaders including Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif had staged a walk out after PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was denied permission to address the floor by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser during the session earlier in the day. Despite this, the affairs of the house continued.

“I was expecting the opposition to thank us for this legislation. They should have appreciated at least a little. This is in Pakistan’s interest.,” said the prime minister while addressing the session.

Speaking about the consequences if Pakistan was enlisted in FATF’s blacklist, he said that the country would face dire consequences and might as well get penalised. “The attitude of the opposition today confirmed my views on opposition leaders,” he remarked.

PM Imran said the interests of opposition leaders and interest of Pakistan were polar opposite. “They (opposition leaders) will do whatever to protect their own interest. They do not care whether Pakistan goes into black list or not.”

The bills, moved by Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, included Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill, 2020, Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020 and Anti-Terrorism (Third Amendment) Bill, 2020.

Earlier today, the Senate had rejected the Anti-Terrorism (Third Amendment) Bill, 2020, a day after it was passed by the National Assembly (NA).

The bill received 31 votes in favour and 34 against.

The NA had, on Tuesday, passed the bill that allows spying powers to the investigators while probing into the case of terror financing, as part of the government’s efforts to enact legislation to help the country get out of the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Prime Minister Imran, in today’s address, further said that the opposition sought to change a clause of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws which was related to money laundering. “If you have nothing to hide than why you are asking for such a thing?” he questioned.

The premier said that the legislation was not only important in relation to FATF but also for the country as it would help in stopping money laundering. “We had to take $6 billion loan from IMF as we lose more money due to money laundering. If we had stopped it then we wouldn’t have needed to go to IMF,” he added.

He said that the poor countries become even poorer while rich countries get richer because of money laundering. “I am told that about $1,000 billion move from poor countries to rich countries each year via money laundering. This money would’ve otherwise been used for the prosperity of people in developed world.”

‘Exemplary punishment for sex offenders after new legislation’

While condemning the shocking motorway gang-rape incident, the premier said that the government was preparing a draft to give “exemplary punishment” to sex offenders. The bill, he said, would be tabled in few days.

He said that the legislation would not only protect women but children as well. “Rape not only destroys a person’s life but their families also suffer. I was thinking what immense devastation the children [of motorway gang-rape victim] must have gone through,” he added

PM Imran said that the experience of the developed world tells us that sex offenders are often repeat offenders; therefore, they have a registration protocol in place. “The prime suspect [of motorway rape case], Abid, was also previously involved in other gang-rape cases. He was involved in many other crimes, some of them went unreported,” he added.

The premier said that even if a culprit is caught after committing the crime, it is not easy to convict them in court. The legislation would ease this procedure as well. “The evidence required [in court] is very hard to produce. We’re preparing to provide protection to the witnesses as well.”