Now that the Protection of Pakistan
Bill has been passed, a few points need to be considered very seriously. True,
the security situation warrants extra ordinary measures, but just what extent
should security agencies be allowed to go, and for how long, is important.
First of all, the Bill did not command
complete unanimity among political parties. PTI stayed on the sidelines, and
the Jamat and JUI-F were against it. MQM,
too, agreed, but not without controversy. The chief, it turns out, was not in
the loop when the decision was made. And he eventually agreed because the party
had taken a position, but only grudgingly.
There is little doubt that the Bill
incorporates some truly draconian measures. It is not very often, after all,
that grade 15 officers are given the authority to kill. And anybody even
vaguely familiar with the way our security agencies are used to operating will
realise just what manner of political victimisation can be facilitated when
such laws are put in place. Therefore, oversight will be very important, and
high offices will need to be held to account in case of excesses.
It is also important to note that while
Zarb-e-Azb is central to national survival, and government offices must
facilitate the drive against insurgents in whichever way possible – and there
will be blowback in cities – this law is not specifically for the operation. It
is meant to deal with overall security breakdown which, actually, led to the
operation.
Altaf Hussain has asked to law to be
scraped immediately after the North Waziristan sweep, even though it is given
an official lifeline of two years. Ironically, sections within law enforcement
agencies are also skeptical about certain features incorporated in the Bill;
they might not be able to walk away scot free from disputed incidents like the
old days. 
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