The Pakistan Protection Bill 2014 was passed by a majority vote in National Assembly earlier today. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) did not participate in the vote.
The bill was presented to the house by federal minister Zahid Hamid. PTI’s members of the assembly walked out of the house just when the bill was presented. They did not participate in the vote.
The Pakistan Protection Bill was then approved with a majority vote. The bill will be enforced for a period of two years once signed by the president.
As per the bill, mobile phone records will be rendered as admissible evidence, an arrested person could be held in custody for 60 days and grade-15 or equivalent officers will have the authority to issue shoot-to-kill orders for ‘militants.’
The bill also requires warning the militants before shooting. It will also allow sentencing a convict to 20 years in prison.
