ISLAMABAD: The federal government faced a major setback on Tuesday after its two FATF-related bills; The Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020, and The Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill, 2020, were rejected by the Senate after the opposition refused to support both the bills citing the "hostile attitude of Leader of the House in Senate Dr Shahzad Waseem."
The two bills were passed by the National Assembly earlier on Monday. An otherwise calm session of the Upper House of the Parliament, presided over by Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, turned stormy after Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan sought leave to move both the bills. Ahead of presenting the bills, Awan said "These are government bills. These are not PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) bills. These bills do not belong to any political party and all political parties (except Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal) support these bills and we have held 22 meetings in this regard. FATF (Financial Action Task Force) deadline is nearing. Just yesterday, heads of all political parties said we will vote in favour of these bills on this issue of national security."
The advisor said failure to meet FATF deadline to carry out the related legislation would result in serious sanctions against Pakistan and adverse economic implications.
But as the chairman Senate tried to take motion to introduce the two bills, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar from Pakistan People's Party (PPP) objected. He accused Leader of the House in Senate Dr Shahzad Waseem of fuelling tension. "When a previous bill related to anti-money laundering measures was passed, the leader of the house said it was not a national issue- and money laundering was something that was linked to opposition leaders who were indulged in massive money laundering. That's what he said."
The opposition senators then opposed moving the motion to present the two bills, asking leader of the house to clarify his stance.
However, as the chairman gave the floor to Shahzad Waseem, he seemed in no mood to mend fences with opposition. "Thank you mister chairman, yeh maafi tou mangwain gay (they will force us to apologize)," Waseem said after taking the floor.
"I don't understand why they are so sensitive about money laundering. What I said about money laundering- I stand by it. Let me tell you what I said," he added.
This angered the opposition which created furore over Waseem's remarks but he refused to backtrack. "I stand by each and every word I said earlier. I simply said Pakistan was placed in FATF grey list before PTI came into power and we need soul searching to determine the causes of Pakistan having landed in FATF grey list. That's all I said without naming anyone. I have the courage and I can stand here and face all of you alone. Why are you so allergic with money laundering. We haven't yet presented this bill and you are creating hue and cry," he addressed opposition.
Amidst escalated hostility, Law Minister Farogh Naseem intervened. "They are FATF-specific bills not specifically linked to any opposition leader," he said.
Moula Bux Chandio from PPP said opposition supports bills in national interest. "A FATF-specific bill was passed by National Assembly with opposition's support but soon after this bill was passed, a joker started ridiculing my leadership on the floor of the House in National Assembly," he said. The chairman Senate asked Chandio not to pass harsh remarks about member of another House. "You (treasury benches) first say these bills are in national interest. But as soon as we extend our support and these bills are passed, you change your tone and become critical of us. You ridicule us," the PPP senator said.
Faisal Javed, who was infuriated on Chandio repeatedly calling him 'baby,' said "Bilawal is baby who is 10 years younger than us. They (opposition) blackmail us on vey issue."
PPP's Parliamentary Leader in Senate Sherry Rehman said "This motion will be defeated. You make fun of PPP and PML-N day and night. This is not going to work. We've had enough. One minister says one thing and other minister contradicts him. Don't play good cop bad cop. Now you will see how these bills are bulldozed. You will see how bulldozer works."
Mustafa Khokhar said the government bills would not be passed if Waseem doesn't take his words back.
The law minister urged both sides not to take extreme positions saying FATF specific legislation is not to the benefit of any individual or political party it is in national interest of Pakistan.
Mushahid Ullah from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) said the leader of house contributed to hostility and tension in Senate. "Leader of the house was running towards treasury benches to engage in a fight. For God's sake, it is Parliament not your street. If you have been mistakenly appointed as leader of the house, don't justify this mistake."
Infuriated, Shahzad Waseem asked chairman Senate to bring "threats hurled by Mushahid Ullah on Senate's record. Don't threaten me I alone am enough for you. I am soldier of Imran Khan I will call spade a spade come what may. No one can stop me, no blackmail or threat." In the same vein, Waseem said "They (opposition) are not concerned about national security. They are concerned about financial security. Their financial security would be at stake if this bill related to money laundering is passed."
Leader of the Opposition in Senate Raja Zafar-ul-Haq asked Waseem to take his words back. "If he has done something inappropriate, he has to decide whether he stands by his leader, political party or this House. Unless he takes his words back, there would be no headway in FATF-related legislation."
Waseem again said he did not name anyone in his speech. "In that particular speech, I even thanked the opposition for supporting legislation against money laundering and I did not name anyone. There is no ground for me to backtrack from what I said."
The advisor to the PM on parliamentary affairs then presented both the bills that were rejected by the House by majority.
The House would meet again today (Wednesday).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020