The Pakistan government’s attempts to amend the colonial-era secrets act that seeks to grant unbridled power to its military intelligence agency were staunchly opposed by the opposition MPs, forcing the government to refer the bill to the standing committee.

On Wednesday (Aug 2), the outgoing government introduced the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which was passed by the lower house on Tuesday (Aug 1).

The bill gives power to agencies like the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) to “at any time, enter and search any person or place, without warrant, and if necessary, by use of force” for anyone suspected of breaching the Official Secrets Act, such as leaking the name of an agency official, reports Dawn newspaper.

It also defines an “enemy” broadly as “any person directly or indirectly intentionally or unintentionally working for or engaged with the foreign power, foreign agent, non-state actor, organisation [or] a group guilty of a particular act tending to show a purpose that is prejudicial to the safety and interest of Pakistan”.

<h2>Draconian law</h2>

Activists and lawyers believe that such a “draconian” law would completely erode the country’s fragile democracy and human rights values.

They are particularly against the broad definition of “enemy” mentioned in the bill, which they believe is “against the principles of natural justice” as it treats unintentional contact at par with planned espionage.

It has now been placed before a standing committee before it is presented to the Senate to formally become law or be rejected.

Senator Tahir Bezinjo said the government was “setting a very dangerous precedent” with this amendment.

“This gives a legal cover for security agencies such as ISI to raid, abduct, and detain people,” he said.

“I am 100 per cent sure the same law will be used against anyone, be it politicians, activists or lawyers, who confront the military and its power. It is indeed a black chapter in the history of Pakistan.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-threatens-to-take-military-action-in-afghanistan-if-taliban-fail-to-keep-terror-groups-on-leash-621519">Pakistan threatens to take military action in Afghanistan if Taliban fail to keep terror groups on leash</a>

<h2>Enforced disappearances common in Pak</h2>

Enforced disappearances, abductions, and tortures by Pakistan’s military agencies are quite common in the country. There is no law currently that can limit their powers.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-elections-unlikely-on-time-pakistan-pm-sharif-hints-621647">Pakistan elections unlikely to take place on time, PM Shehbaz Sharif hints</a>

There have been attempts by the past government to make such acts illegal, but they have been repeatedly thwarted by the all-powerful military establishment.

The ruling government is believed to have a close relationship with the military establishment that has opposed media freedom and the groups fighting for democracy and human rights.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Pakistan government’s attempts to amend the colonial-era secrets act that seeks to grant unbridled power to its military intelligence agency were staunchly opposed by the opposition MPs, forcing the government to refer the bill to the standing committee.

The Pakistan government’s attempts to amend the colonial-era secrets act that seeks to grant unbridled power to its military intelligence agency were staunchly opposed by the opposition MPs, forcing the government to refer the bill to the standing committee. On Wednesday (Aug 2), the outgoing government introduced the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which was passed by the lower house on Tuesday (Aug 1). The bill gives power to agencies like the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) to “at any time, enter and search any person or place, without warrant, and if necessary, by use of force” for anyone suspected of breaching the Official Secrets Act, such as leaking the name of an agency official, reports Dawn newspaper. It also defines an “enemy” broadly as “any person directly or indirectly intentionally or unintentionally working for or engaged with the foreign power, foreign agent, non-state actor, organisation [or] a group guilty of a particular act tending to show a purpose that is prejudicial to the safety and interest of Pakistan”. Draconian law Activists and lawyers believe that such a “draconian” law would completely erode the country’s fragile democracy and human rights values. They are particularly against the broad definition of “enemy” mentioned in the bill, which they believe is “against the principles of natural justice” as it treats unintentional contact at par with planned espionage. It has now been placed before a standing committee before it is presented to the Senate to formally become law or be rejected. Senator Tahir Bezinjo said the government was “setting a very dangerous precedent” with this amendment. “This gives a legal cover for security agencies such as ISI to raid, abduct, and detain people,” he said. “I am 100 per cent sure the same law will be used against anyone, be it politicians, activists or lawyers, who confront the military and its power. It is indeed a black chapter in the history of Pakistan.” Also read | Pakistan threatens to take military action in Afghanistan if Taliban fail to keep terror groups on leash Enforced disappearances common in Pak Enforced disappearances, abductions, and tortures by Pakistan’s military agencies are quite common in the country. There is no law currently that can limit their powers. Also read | Pakistan elections unlikely to take place on time, PM Shehbaz Sharif hints There have been attempts by the past government to make such acts illegal, but they have been repeatedly thwarted by the all-powerful military establishment. The ruling government is believed to have a close relationship with the military establishment that has opposed media freedom and the groups fighting for democracy and human rights. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Pakistan govt faces backlash over ‘draconian’ bill giving security agencies massive powers

With the world's attention diverted towards the events in Ukraine, China is continuing its repression of the Tibetan culture and identity, even introducing more draconian methods to accomplish the task, a media report said on Saturday.

A new code of conduct for members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Tibet explicitly forbids party members from all forms of religiosity in both public and private life. The six-point code of conduct is the first party regulation that clearly and comprehensively details the specific types of religiosity forbidden for party members in Tibet, The Hong Kong Post reported.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-city-of-qingdao-reports-omicron-outbreak-among-students-459466">Chinese city of Qingdao reports Omicron outbreak among students</a>

The new regulation forbids wearing rosary beads or religious imagery, forwarding or liking religious materials online and circumambulating mountains and lakes. Party members are also required to take on an active role to propagate the party's anti-religion stance by advising relatives to downplay their religious consciousness, not set up altars or hang religious imagery in homes, and seek party approval before inviting religious personnel to conduct rituals for customary occasions such as weddings and funerals, the report said.Taking the cultural oppression into people's homes, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has forced and even coerced the Tibetan people to place Xi Jinping's picture into the Tibetan Buddhist altars, the report further said.

The development comes amid other measures by the Chinese administration. A new regulation called 'Measures on the Administration of Internet Religious Informative Services'&nbsp;which came into effect on March 1 bans all foreign organizations and individuals from spreading religious content online in China and Tibet except those who have acquired government licenses.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-reiterates-reunification-with-taiwan-firmly-opposes-foreign-interference-459268">China reiterates 'reunification' with Taiwan, firmly opposes foreign interference</a>

At the same time, China has also started to demolish structures symbolizing Tibetan Buddhism including old statues and monasteries with three such demolitions taking place since December last year as per reports.

The actions of the Chinese authorities in Tibet over the past few months have drawn heavy criticism from Tibetan religious leaders and the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).In January, Ling Rimpoche (reincarnation of the Dalai Lama's teacher) rebuked China for the destruction of Tibetan Buddhist literature and Buddhist identity including the destruction of the Dalai Lama's palace, a huge number of monasteries and Buddha statues of historical and religious value as well as systematically reducing the Tibetans to a state of destitution in their own country. He further emphasized that the Chinese are destroying Buddhism in order to destroy the identity of the Tibetans.

Watch |&nbsp;China resists from directly condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine at UNSC

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-resists-from-directly-condemning-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-at-unsc-459214/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Earlier in November last year, Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamshala accused China of implementing a 'One nation, one party, one language, one culture'&nbsp;policy in occupied Tibet and said that Tibetans as a people and culture was being subjected to a slow death, the report said.

In the same month, US President Biden had raised concerns about China's practices in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong with Xi Jinping during an online discussion.

With the world's attention diverted towards the events in Ukraine, China is continuing its repression of the Tibetan culture and identity, even introducing more draconian methods to accomplish the task, a media report said on Saturday.

With the world's attention diverted towards the events in Ukraine, China is continuing its repression of the Tibetan culture and identity, even introducing more draconian methods to accomplish the task, a media report said on Saturday. A new code of conduct for members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Tibet explicitly forbids party members from all forms of religiosity in both public and private life. The six-point code of conduct is the first party regulation that clearly and comprehensively details the specific types of religiosity forbidden for party members in Tibet, The Hong Kong Post reported. Also read | Chinese city of Qingdao reports Omicron outbreak among students The new regulation forbids wearing rosary beads or religious imagery, forwarding or liking religious materials online and circumambulating mountains and lakes. Party members are also required to take on an active role to propagate the party's anti-religion stance by advising relatives to downplay their religious consciousness, not set up altars or hang religious imagery in homes, and seek party approval before inviting religious personnel to conduct rituals for customary occasions such as weddings and funerals, the report said.Taking the cultural oppression into people's homes, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has forced and even coerced the Tibetan people to place Xi Jinping's picture into the Tibetan Buddhist altars, the report further said. The development comes amid other measures by the Chinese administration. A new regulation called 'Measures on the Administration of Internet Religious Informative Services' which came into effect on March 1 bans all foreign organizations and individuals from spreading religious content online in China and Tibet except those who have acquired government licenses. Also read | China reiterates 'reunification' with Taiwan, firmly opposes foreign interference At the same time, China has also started to demolish structures symbolizing Tibetan Buddhism including old statues and monasteries with three such demolitions taking place since December last year as per reports. The actions of the Chinese authorities in Tibet over the past few months have drawn heavy criticism from Tibetan religious leaders and the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).In January, Ling Rimpoche (reincarnation of the Dalai Lama's teacher) rebuked China for the destruction of Tibetan Buddhist literature and Buddhist identity including the destruction of the Dalai Lama's palace, a huge number of monasteries and Buddha statues of historical and religious value as well as systematically reducing the Tibetans to a state of destitution in their own country. He further emphasized that the Chinese are destroying Buddhism in order to destroy the identity of the Tibetans. Watch | China resists from directly condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine at UNSC Earlier in November last year, Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamshala accused China of implementing a 'One nation, one party, one language, one culture' policy in occupied Tibet and said that Tibetans as a people and culture was being subjected to a slow death, the report said. In the same month, US President Biden had raised concerns about China's practices in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong with Xi Jinping during an online discussion.

China using draconian methods to destroy identity of Tibetans

The United States is planning to reverse former President Donald Trump's immigration policies that have time and again been described as 'Draconian'. According to the White House, the US President Joe Biden told his Mexican counterpart that his administration is undoing the 'Draconian' approach.

US to reverse Trump's 'Draconian' immigration approach

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