Senator Mushtaq Ahmed has raised concerns over the government’s intention to pass the Official Secrets Act bill from the Senate. According to his tweet, the bill has been put on the agenda for today’s session, and the government wants to get it approved without proper debate and scrutiny.
Senator Mushtaq emphasized that the Official Secrets Act is a strategic document that requires detailed discussion and debate. He warned that if the bill is approved in its present shape, it could turn the country into an open jail, giving authorities extraordinary powers of arrests, searches, and confiscations.
He also pointed out that passing the bill in its current form would violate Article 9 and 10-A of the constitution, impacting human rights, liberties, and freedom of the media. Instead, he urged the government to send the bill to the concerned committee of the house for further deliberation.
The government had decided in a July cabinet session to amend the Official Secrets Act 1923 to update it according to modern-day needs. The proposed amendments aim to enhance the protection of information related to national security and enhance the role of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in the matter.