ISLAMABAD - The opposition in the Senate yesterday strongly protested over the action of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) confiscating vehicles and directly summoning the ambassador of Palestine in Islamabad for what it called violation of the Vienna Convention and international laws.
The opposition launched the protest after the house quickly passed the two FATF-related bills with majority amid opposition of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on the one bill — the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill. Both the bills are the requirement of the global anti-money laundering watchdog as part of its proposed action plan for Pakistan to get its name off the grey list.
On a point of public concern, PML-N Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed who is also the chairperson of Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs said that FBR action was a total violation of all international laws and diplomatic norms.
“FBR has directly issued a notice to the ambassador of a friendly country, confiscated his two vehicles and summoned him to appear before it which is violation of Vienna Convention and international laws,” said Senator Sayed.
Earlier, the house passed the FATF-related bills, the Islamabad Capital Territory Trust Bill and the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill. JI Senator Sirajul Haq called for consideration of his eight amendments in the bill on narcotics substances but the chair said that the bill had been adopted and now amendments would be taken up separately on another private members’ day under the laid down procedure.
