A meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior Monday unanimously rejected the proposed Criminal Law Amendment Bill, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The committee’s meeting, chaired by Raja Khurram Shehzad, also raised serious concerns about its implications for civil liberties and the potential misuse of authority in the name of preventing electricity theft.
During the session, members, including Zartaj Gul, Jamshed Dasti, Qadir Patel, Nabil Gabol, Dr Nisar Jatt, and others expressed concerns for the bill.
PTI legislator Zartaj Gul criticized the bill as “cruel” and declared that people should not be handcuffed without cause.
Qadir Patel stated that the bill could not be passed without necessary reforms, citing Karachi's severe 18-hour power outages and K-Electric’s practice of cutting power to entire neighborhoods due to the actions of a few.
The committee also debated issues like false FIRs, unchecked power of the authorities, and the lack of accountability among high-ranking officials in the power sector.
PTI member National Assembly Jamshed Dasti criticized the power division, saying he had never seen a secretary power in the field and accused SDOs of avoiding ground duties.
He claimed that the indiscriminate ballots were held in June just to save officials’ positions.
Nabil Gabol shared a grim account from his constituency, where a watchman died of a heart attack after spending four months in jail following a raid on a building.
“We are not even providing electricity, and then we raid people?” he asked.
Dr Nisar Jatt alleged the bill was a step toward the privatization of distribution companies (DISCOs), while Talal Chaudhry, Minister of State for Interior, admitted that electricity theft is real but urged against blind approval of the legislation.
Zartaj Gul further criticized the Capital Development Authority (CDA), accusing it of demolishing roads under the guise of beautification and planting dead trees after cutting down 5,500 mature ones.
She questioned the legitimacy of ongoing development projects in Islamabad and whether they had PC-1 approval.
In response, the CDA Chairman claimed that the work had started and was funded through the authority’s own budget, though Gul countered she had not seen any activity in her constituency.
Meanwhile, committee members including Nazir Abbas raised questions about the lack of prosecutions against senior officials or “big fish,” despite frequent arrests of powerless individuals.
“Only one person has ever been punished under Section 109,” said Qadir Patel, criticizing the selective application of justice.
The Law Ministry defended the bill, claiming it was intended to tighten and reinforce existing legislation.
The special secretary of home affairs stated that implementation of the law is vital and that even SDOs would be held accountable if found involved in theft.
However, committee members remained unconvinced, emphasizing that laws should not be passed without comprehensive reform and strong oversight mechanisms.
Ultimately, the committee rejected the bill, reaffirming that public interest, transparency, and accountability must take precedence over hasty legislation.