ISLAMABAD: Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid has laid before the Senate the half yearly report of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in respect of its activities under section 53 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016.
The report was laid during the session of the Senate here after extensive discussion by the Senators as to whether the house could debate and discuss the report carrying sensitive information.
Talking about the report, Senator Farhatullah Babar said FIA had extensive powers under the law and could confiscate all electronic devices during raid at a house.
He said Parliament was not merely a Secretariat so the FIA report should be debated and considered in the house. Senator Javed Abbasi said Senate had the power of oversight and could scrutinize the report. Senator Shibli Faraz said there were apprehensions that this law could be misused.
He said judges, FIA and lawyers lacked the expertise and institutional back up was needed to properly implement the law. Leader of the Opposition Senator Aitzaz Ahsan said the Ministry of Interior should formulate the rules mentioning details and format according to which the report should be prepared by FIA.
He said Chairman Senate could direct the government in a formal ruling to make the rules in a month.
Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid told the house that the federal government had formed an inter-ministerial committee to make rules, however due to jurisdictional issues, its meeting was delayed. He said the house committee could discuss the FIA report without disclosing identity information.
He said rules should clearly specify what information should be carried in the report, adding under the law, sensitive information in the report should not be disseminated.According to the sections of the law, the report should be laid down in the house and then it should be discussed in camera by the committee.
The Chairman Senate deferred the matter till Friday and said he would give his ruling on the matter on that day.
The house gave another 45 days to the Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage for presentation of its report on the bill to amend PEMRA ordinance, 2002.
