ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday extended three ordinances for further 120 days amid heated debate and protest of the opposition parties.
Minister for Science and Technology Zahid Hamid moved the resolutions to extend the three ordinances including Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance 2013 (VII of 2013), Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance 2013 (VIII of 2013) and Protection of Pakistan Ordinance, 2013 (IX of 2013).
Taking part in the debate in the lower house of parliament, the opposition parties including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Jamat-i-Islami (JI), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Independent Jamshed Ahmed Dasti opposed the resolutions.
The ordinances were promulgated by President Mamnoon Hussain in October last year and under the Constitution the government was required to get them passed in the form of bills from parliament within 120 days.
The government had decided to defer the bills in the National Assembly on Monday because of strong protests by the opposition. The protests mainly came from the PTI and the ruling coalition partner JUI-F which described the ordinances as draconian which undermined fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.
Leader of the Opposition Syed Khursheed Shah of the PPP asked the government to defer the draft for a day or two to forge a consensus.
It is interesting to note that the PPP is opposing the ordinances in the Senate where it has a majority, whereas its protest in the lower house of parliament is almost invisible.