Controversial Bill Regulating Public Meetings Passed by Pakistan's National Assembly

Pakistan's National Assembly has passed the 'Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024', ahead of PTI's planned rally. The bill imposes strict penalties on unauthorized assemblies and provides authorities broad powers to regulate public meetings.

Pakistan's National Assembly has approved the 'Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024', following its passage in the Senate, according to Dawn. This move comes ahead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's planned rally on September 8 in Islamabad.

The bill, introduced by ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) member Danyal Chaudhry and passed without committee referral, mandates a three-year jail term for participating in unauthorized public meetings and a ten-year sentence for committing offences during such gatherings, pending presidential assent.

The government will now designate specific venues for public meetings, starting with Sangjani in Islamabad. Applications for permission will be managed by the deputy commissioner, with appeals directed to higher authorities. The police can disperse gatherings at any time, while the district magistrate can ban or modify permits based on security concerns.

(With inputs from agencies.)