Pak Govt.’s negligence renders critical Anti-Terrorism law ‘defunct’

ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan government has been boasting about its seriousness to deal with terrorism on every possible national and international stage, however, its sincerity to tackle the menace has been laid bare as the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance 2010 has completed its constitutional life, and has now been rendered defunct.

The lapse of anti-terror law has put a big question mark over the legality of a large number of cases pending before anti-terrorism courts.

According to legal analysts, the lapse of the ordinance has deprived the government of important powers under which it has been interrogating the arrested terror suspects and taking action against banned extremist organisations.

Meanwhile, the blame game has started amongst different ministries in the Pakistan government for the sheer ‘negligence’ because of which the critically important anti-terror law, which was originally promulgated by former President General Pervez Musharraf in 2002, has lapsed.

Officials of the Interior and Law ministries have accused each other for bringing the ‘embarrassment’ to the government, The Dawn reports.

A source in the ministry of law and parliamentary affairs said that it was the responsibility of the interior ministry to have presented the ordinance in the form of a bill, first before the cabinet and then the Parliament.

He also disclosed that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had taken note of this serious issue and also discussed the issue with Law Minister Babar Awan, but even then no action was taken. ANI)