ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior Wednesday passed the Anti-Terrorism (Third Amendment) Bill, 2020, a Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-related bill with majority.

The meeting, which met with Senator Rehman Malik in the chair, discussed in detail, Anti-Terrorism (Third Amendment) Bill, 2020, introduced by Senator Sajjad Hussain Turi, and passed it with majority.

According to the "Anti-Terrorism (Third Amendment ) Bill, 2020," "The investigating officer, may with the permission of Court, within sixty days of such permission, use techniques including undercover operation, intercepting communications, accessing computer system and controlled delivery for investigation of financing of terrorism under the law in force. The aforementioned period of sixty days may be extended up to further period of sixty days by the Court on the request made to it in writing. The Court may grant extension, if it is satisfied, on the basis of situation/reasons given in the written request. The provision of this sub-section shall be addition to and not in derogation or any other law for the time being in force."

During the meeting, Malik said that in the interest of the country, necessary legislation was required by the FATF.

However, it is also important to see what laws actually required by the FATF, so the letter, which the government has received from the FATF, should also be placed before the committee, he added.

He said that every legislature was in favour of all such laws, which would benefit the nation, and could not be used against any innocent person.

The parliamentary body reviewed and discussed the bill in detail.

Senator Sherry Rehman and Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar proposed three amendments to the bill but were rejected by a majority of the members, and the committee passed the bill passed with a majority.

Rehman and Khokhar said that the reservations of all members would be addressed during rules framing after the passage of the bill.

Leader of the House Senator Dr Shehzad Waseem, and senators, Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Muhammad Javed Abbasi, Mian Muhammad Atiq Sheikh, Kahuda Babar, Sherry Rehman, Sajjad Hussain Turi, and Rana Maqbool Ahmed, and senior officials attended the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020