Senate passes commission of inquiry bill

The Senate passed the government-sponsored 'The Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Bill, 2016' with four amendments, top of which is that the government will be bound to make a commission's report public within 30 days of its submission. The bill which was moved by Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid, will now go back to National Assembly for its passage; and if passed by the Lower House with the amendments made by the Senate, it will become a law after a formal assent by the President of Pakistan.
In the wake of the Panama Leaks, both opposition and the government had brought their separate bills, as both were not ready to accept each other's bill as the opposition-sponsored bill which was passed by Senate, was dubbed as person-specific. The government was not happy with the opposition, particularly with Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying the sole purpose of passing such a bill from the Senate was meant to target the prime minister whose family is facing an inquiry in the wake of the Panama Leaks.
Following the passage of opposition's bill, the government brought a similar bill titled 'The Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Bill, 2016' that is general in nature and provides for constitution of commissions of inquiry by the government whenever it is expedient to conduct an inquiry into any definite matter of public importance.
With the passage of the bill from National Assembly, the bill will replace the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1956 which shall stand repealed, as both the opposition and treasury are somewhat agreed on the bill presented by the government. The Senate through another amendment has inserted an explanation that 'a matter of public importance' includes a matter of general interest or direct or vital concern to the public. Another amendment makes it obligatory on the request of commission's chairman to record reasons to seek extension in the time period specified by the government to conclude the inquiry.
Under the bill, the chairman or any other officer, not below the rank of an officer of BPS-18, specially authorised in this behalf by the chairman, will have the powers to enter any building or place where the commission has reason to believe that any books of account or other documents relating to the matter of inquiry may be found, and seize any such books of account or documents and take their extracts and copies.
The commission will have the powers to order a police investigation into any matter coming before it. The commission will have the same powers as that of a high court to punish any person on contempt. The proceedings before the commission will be deemed to be judicial proceedings within the meaning of section 193 and 228 of the PPC.