Hussain 
The Senate passed the ‘Contempt of Parliament Bill 2023’ to criminalise the individuals who commit crime against Parliament, its legislators, houses and committees.
The Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashrad presides over the National Assembly session and Prime Minister Shahbaz Shareef addresses the session at Parliament House after passing the Contempt Bill.
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The bill was presented during the Senate session as supplementary agenda. It is passed through a voice vote where all the members shared their answers. When the chair proposed the bill, there were no objections from the opposition benches against the hill.
Fine & Punishments
As per the bill passed, the criminals may be imprisoned for upto six months and charged with one million fine or both. The bill had already passed in the National Assembly and once it is approved by President it will become a part of parliament act.
Kuada Babar, Nassebullah Bazai, Sarfraz Ahmad Bugti, Prince Ahmad Umer Ahmadzai and Rana Mehmoodul Hassan raised their objections as House is passing the bill without sending it to standing committee.
The bill needs to be implemented at this time when there is a serious tension between the executive and judiciary over the powers and formation of benches in the apex court.
The proposed contempt bill will empowee the speaker to constitute the contempt committee within 30 days of coming into force of this law. The committee is also empowered to award punishments with majority voting from houses.
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The Contempt Bill reads, “The Contempt committee shall have powers as vested in civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure for enforcing the attendance of any person and compelling the production of documents”.
