Interior Ministry apologises for ‘willful defiance of parliament’

ISLAMABAD: The interior ministry, on Tuesday, apologised for what had been termed by the senate body as a ‘willful defiance of the parliament’. Last month, the interior ministry had to brief the senate’s standing committee on interior regarding the national security policy, however, no official from the ministry turned up. Later, a letter, from an official of the ministry, proposing that the senate’s panel should meet once in two months, was surfaced, adding more fuel to the fire. The situation had forced the chairman of the committee, Talha Mehmood, to write to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chairman Senate Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, besides deciding to bring a privilege motion in the senate. However, interestingly, the next meeting about safe city project was also not attended by any of the ministry’s officials. Minister of state for interior, Baleegh Ur Rahman, told the senate’s panel, on Tuesday, that the government holds parliament, and its committees, in high esteem and assured that the ministry’s officials will attend its meetings, regularly. He explained that the interior minister and the secretary interior could not attend the senate body’s meetings due to their hectic engagements, pointing out that the ministry was very busy in talks with the Taliban. Talha Mehmood said that 18 meetings of the committee had adjourned, on the request of the ministry, but a controversial letter had deliberately been written. “The ministry has no right to dictate the Senate body”, he remarked. He said that the interior minister and interior secretary were on an undeclared boycott of the committee’s meetings. The official of the ministry also tendered an apology for writing a controversial letter to the committee. The chairman of the committee conditionally accepted the apology, declaring that it would be linked with the attitude of the officials in future. Investigation of safe city project Talha Mehmood said that billions of rupees had been swindled in the safe city project, and he claimed to have evidence about the involvement of the interior ministry’s officials in it. He said that, under the project, 1,500 cameras were to be installed in the capital, but only 15 were installed, out of which eight were not working. He also launched an investigation for a possible scam, in this regards. Objections against anti-terrorism bills The committee also decided to consider two anti-terrorism bills, clause by clause, in the next meeting, after objections on the proposed law were raised by many members. Retired Colonel Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, of MQM, said that the provisions of the proposed law, including 90 day detention without presenting the accused before a court of law, were against the spirit of the article 10 of the constitution, as well as human rights. He also objected to the clause, under which, the law enforcers were given powers to shoot at people on mere suspicion. Bill to prevent electricity theft The committee formed a sub-committee to discuss the amended Criminal Law Bill 2014, aimed at preventing electricity theft. The additional secretary interior, Hamid Ali Khan, said that an amendment in the law was required to stop the electricity theft. He said that 2,300 cases of electricity thefts were registered by Water and power development authority (Wapda), out of which, sentences were awarded to only three cases. He said that 15 billion units of electricity were stolen during the last two years, costing the exchequer Rs 90 billion. Baleegh ur Rahman said that, under the new law, a penalty of twice the amount of the theft of electricity, would have to be paid. Announcing the formation of a sub-committee, the chairman said the sub-committee would involve Wapda officials in the formulation of a new legislation. The sub-committee will comprise of Tahir Mashahdi and Begum Najma Hameed.