ISLAMABAD: The controversial Protection of Pakistan Ordinance (PPO) has been challenged in the Supreme Court on Wednesday on grounds that it violates basic human rights as well as conflicts with the Constitution of Pakistan.
A social worker and advocate Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi filed the petition in the apex court, saying that the administration had been devolved judicial powers in the ordinance.
Naqvi said that the PPO was a blow to the fundamental rights of citizens and that it conflicted with the Constitution of Pakistan. He said that the court should summon all records pertaining to the PPO.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also announced on Tuesday that it would challenge the PPO in the Supreme Court, claiming that it had the support of Muthaida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Jamat-e-Islamai (JI).
The bill was passed by the National Assembly on Monday with a majority vote amidst protest by the opposition parties.
The opposition parties opposed the bill and staged a walk out from the house, terming the bill regressive and extra-constitutional.
The PPO, approved by President Mamnoon Hussain last year, is a decree that declares all peace-disrupting elements as ‘enemies of the state’, and states protection of life to be the state’s top priority.
