Anti Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance 2009 extended to PATA of NWFP.

ISLAMABAD, November 17, 2009 (Balochistan Times): President Asif Ali Zardari on the advice of the Prime Minister approved the extension of the Anti Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance 2009 to Provincial Administered Tribal Areas of NWFP in terms of Article 247 of the Constitution. Giving the background Spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the Anti Terrorism Act 1997 was extended to PATA in 2002 as per provision of Article 247 of the Constitution. The Anti Terrorism Act 1997 has since been amended through Anti Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance 2009. The Provincial Government of NWFP with the approval of the Governor NWFP recently decided to extend the amendment Ordinance 2009 to PATA as well. Under the Article 247 of the Constitution, no Act of Parliament or Provincial Assembly shall apply to a Provincially Administered Tribal Area (PATA) or any part thereof unless the Governor of Province, in which the Tribal Area is situated, with the approval of the resident, so directs. Accordingly, the President approved the extension of the Anti Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance 2009 to PATA in the light of the decision of the Provincial government of NWFP and the advice of the Prime Minister tendered under the Rules of Business1973,hesaid.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)