ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) strongly condemned the proposed amendments in the “Official Secrets Act, 1923,” and demanded the government to immediately withdraw them.

PBC Vice-Chairman Haroon ur Rashid and Chairman Executive Committee of the Council Hassan Raza Pasha, in a joint statement issued on Thursday, said the proposed amendments in the “Official Secrets Act, 1923,” wherein intelligence/secret agencies are granted blanket powers to raid and detain any citizen, or enter/search any person in any place, without obtaining search warrant from any court of law, even under suspicion of them breaching the law, which is unethical and against the norms and justice as well as violation of articles 8, 9,and 10 of the Constitution.

They expressed concerns and expect from Standing Committee of the Senate to reject the proposed amendments in the Act. They further demanded from the government to immediately withdraw this move i.e. “The Official Secrets Act Amendment Bill 2023” and said the legal fraternity always struggled for supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law in the country and any such move will be opposed by tooth and nail.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023