Parliament passes three bills to meet FATF requirements

Islamabad: The Joint sitting of the Parliament Wednesday passed three bills to meet the requirements of Financial Action Task Force to bring the country out of its grey list.

The bills moved by Advisor on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan, include: “The Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill” and “The Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020”, while “The Anti-Terrorism (Third Amendment) Bill, 2020 was tabled by Faheem Khan.

According to the statement of subjects and reasons, “The Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill, 2020” is aimed at proper management, supervision, and administration of Waqf properties in the territorial limits of Islamabad Capital Territory.

“The Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020” is aimed at streamlining the existing anti money laundering law in line with international standards prescribed by FATF.

It reflects government’s firm resolve to strengthen its Anti-Money Laundering regime. “The Anti-Terrorism (Third Amendment) Bill, 2020” is essential to address the issue of terror financing, one of the major obstacles which is not only playing a degrading role against the development of the country but also imbuing such elements with the financial means which are an ultimate threat to the internal and external peace of the country.

It enables the law enforcement authorities to take certain encountering techniques with an authoritative support of the courts of law to curb terror financing.

The Joint sitting also passed “The Surveying and Mapping (Amendment) Bill, 2020” and “The Islamabad High Court (Amendment) Bill, 2019”.

Major objective of “The Surveying and Mapping (Amendment) Bill, 2020” is to stop and prohibiting printing, displaying, dissemination or using incorrect and unofficial map of Pakistan.

“The Islamabad High Court (Amendment) Bill, 2019” is aimed at increasing the number of judges in IHC from seven to ten, including the Chief Justice to overcome difficulties of the litigant public qua early disposal of long pending cases.

Other bills passed by the Joint Sitting of the Parliament include “Pakistan Medical Commission Bill, 2019”, “The Medical Tribunal Bill, 2019” and “The ICT Rights of Persons with Disability Bill, 2020”.