ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah is scheduled to introduce a bill in the Senate today (Sunday) as the government wants to prevent “any extremist or violent” organization from contesting elections.
According to the draft bill, violent extremism refers to inciting, advocating, threatening and resorting to violence and hostility on account of political, religious and communal as well as ideological beliefs, including by a scheduled individual or organization involved in violence. including providing financing and protection. Extremism – All this is prohibited by law.
“…the State is committed to strengthening legal mechanisms to counter the promotion and propagation of acts of violent extremism and to provide mechanisms for the de-radicalisation and rehabilitation of victims,” the draft bill, a copy of which is available with JEE News, reads.
It added that it is important to provide a mechanism for countering violent extremism and related and related matters.
Through this bill, a violent person, leader, official or worker of a violent organization will be detained for 90 days to 12 months. However, they will have the right to appeal to the High Court.
After the bill is passed, the government can add a person or organization to lists 1 and 2 of violent extremism.
Meanwhile, as a result of this bill, violent organizations and persons on the lists will not be allowed to participate in the elections. Also, no financial institution shall provide financial support to its leader, member, or official.
According to the proposed draft bill, the Act will be called the Prevention of Violent Extremism Act, 2023. It will be applicable all over Pakistan.
The bill’s first list would include organizations that are involved in violent extremism and whose leaders are violent or organizations that re-emerge with a changed name.
While the second list will include individuals who engage in violent extremism, are part of a violent organization or its leader, or provide financial support to a violent organization.
According to the draft bill, the government will ban media access or publication of violent individuals and organizations.
The draft bill states that there will be sanctions against a person who commits violence or a leader of a violent organization. Apart from this, the government will also investigate the assets of the violent outfit.
According to the draft bill, arms licenses of leaders, officials and members of violent organizations will be canceled while their assets, properties and bank accounts will be frozen. During this time, their passports will be confiscated, and they will not be allowed to travel abroad.
On the other hand, the government will direct the perpetrator to either leave the area or stay. It will also investigate the assets of the perpetrator, their family, siblings and relatives.
The government may reconsider delisting a violent organization or institution, depending on their behavior. The affected organization or individual shall file an application before the Revision Committee within 30 days, but if the application is rejected, an appeal shall be filed in the High Court.
Meanwhile, the concerned department can remove the person or organization from the list at any time. After delisting, the activities of the violent individual or organization, as well as its leaders, officials and members, will be monitored for six months, with the possibility of extension.
The government will establish a de-radicalization center to rehabilitate and de-radicalize violent individuals. It will also establish a research center to counter violent extremism.
On the other hand, educational institutions shall immediately report acts of violent extremism to the government and shall not allow any person to engage in or promote violent extremism.
According to the draft bill, no public servant will allow himself or his family to be involved in violent extremism. It added that violent extremist content will be immediately removed or blocked from social media.
The punishable offense shall be triable by the Court of Session and shall be non-bailable, cognizable, and non-bailable.
The matter will be investigated by the police or any other department. A person guilty of violent extremism will be punished with imprisonment of 3 to 10 years and a fine of up to 20 lakh rupees.
Violators of this law will be imprisoned for one to five years and fined up to 10 lakh rupees. An organization involved in violent extremism will be fined Rs 50 lakh and will be dissolved as a result.
An organization that violates the law will be fined up to 20 lakh rupees, while the property and assets of the individual or organization will be confiscated on conviction.
A person found aiding or abetting violent extremism or involved in the same shall be liable to imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years, and a fine of Rs.20 lakhs.
A person harboring an offender would also be liable to imprisonment and fines, while a person providing information or assistance to the government would be immune.
