NA passes Contempt of Parliament Bill, 2023

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Tuesday passed the Contempt of Parliament Bill 2023.

Rana Qasim Noon presented the Contempt of Parliament Bill, 2023 in the House for approval.

Earlier, a meeting of the National Assembly was held under the chairmanship of Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf in which the contempt bill was discussed.

Expressing his views, Federal Education Minister Rana Tanveer said that the contempt of parliament bill was an important piece of legislation. He said the standing committee rules should also be amended. He complained that officers did not listen to the calls of MPs.

“Earlier there was no law on insulting parliament, now we will not accept even insult of committees of the parliament,” he said. Rana Qasim Noon, the initiator of the bill, told the House that the contempt bill was very important.

“If anyone insults this house in future, he will be punished. We have been working on this bill for the last four years,” he added. Under the bill, he said, contempt of the House would be punishable with six months imprisonment and a fine up to Rs 10 million or both.

“Under this bill, any government or state official can be summoned for contempt of parliament,” he elaborated. A 24-member parliamentary committee will investigate contempt of parliament cases. The committee will include 50 percent members of the opposition and 50 percent of the government.

The Contempt Committee will recommend the punishment to the speaker or the Senate chairman on the complaint report, after which the speaker or the Senate Chairman can announce the punishment on the concerned person.