ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly  passed the modified Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023, after its approval from the Senate a day ago.

The bill was earlier passed by the assembly. However, the Senate made some changes in the law before approving it, thus necessitating a second approval from the NA.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told the house that the Senate has made two amendments to the law.

The government has removed two controversial clauses from the law, including one giving intelligence agencies the power to search and arrest suspects without warrants.

In the second amendment, Mr Tarrar said, the act “unintentionally” committed had been removed from the list of offences.

Earlier on Sunday, the Senate amended clause 5 of the bill, which earlier stated: “[A] person may be presumed to have been in communication with enemy or a foreign agent if he has, either within or without Pakistan visited the address of a foreign agent or consorted or associated with enemy or a foreign agent…”

Following the amendments, the word “knowingly” has been added to this clause which will now read “…if he has either within or without Pakistan ‘knowingly’ visited the address…”

Last week, the bill encountered strong opposition from both sides in the Senate and was consequently referred to the relevant standing committee of the House for further deliberation.