Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani has removed the government’s Prevention of Violent Extremism (Amendment) Bill from the day’s agenda due to objections raised by some senators and concerns over the bill’s presentation. During a session of the Upper House, Sanjrani stated that he would drop the bill regardless of the government’s stance on it. He sought the House’s opinion on referring the bill to the committee before making a decision.

The bill faced opposition from various quarters, including the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), both ruling coalition partners. Senator Kamran Murtaza of JUI-F expressed that the bill would infringe upon fundamental rights and disapproved of the lack of consultation with coalition allies. Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri from JUI-F also opposed the bill, and both JUI-F and JI threatened to stage a walkout if the bill were approved.

Read more : Senate Committee Should Look into Fake Nursing Affiliations and Certificates

Other senators from different parties, including PTI, PML-N, PPP, and MQM, also voiced their concerns about the bill. Some argued that it imposed bans and restrictions on politicians and political parties, while others believed it would be an attack on democracy.

The Prevention of Violent Extremism Bill 2023, if passed, would penalize public servants involved in violent extremism, require the immediate removal of extremist content from social media, and impose sentences and fines for individuals and organizations engaging in violent extremism. However, many senators raised apprehensions about its potential impact on civil liberties and democratic processes.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmed from JI urged the government to send the bill to the relevant committee for thorough discussion and cautioned against using state force to target political leaders or parties.

During the Sunday session, the Senate was set to address a 20-point agenda, which included the discussed bill on prevention of violent extremism, the establishment of a Pakistan Aviation Authority, the Pakistan Air Safety Investigation Amendment Bill, and the Pakistan Crescent Sighing Amendment Bill, among other matters. Senator Ahmed expressed concerns about the bill’s treatment during the session and called for its proper consideration in the committee to maintain the importance and integrity of the parliament’s role.