ISLAMABAD: The bill to amend the Official Secrets Act, 1923 was passed by the Senate on Sunday, albeit with few changes to the original amendments.

The most significant amendment, made by a Senate committee, prior to its approval by the House was the removal of a clause giving intelligence agencies the power to arrest suspects or search without warrants.

Another amendment has been made to 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…”

After 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…”, according to Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, who moved the bill on behalf of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.

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He emphasised the revised bill empowered the Federal Investigation Agency to conduct investigations into individuals suspected of violating the Official Secrets Act.

The ‘amended’ bill failed to placate the lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who continued to raise questions over the wide-ranging powers being given to the intelligence agencies.

“The spirit of the bill remains intact despite superficial amendments. Entire Pakistan will turn into a cantonment if the bill is passed as it is,” Senator Mushtaq Ahmad of Jamaat-i-Islami warned.

He said the extraordinary powers of intelligence agencies will affect human rights, political liberties and media freedom. “It would be nothing short of a legal martial law.”

The lawmakers of JUI-F and PPP — both of whom are part of the ruling coalition — censured the government for moving the legislation in haste.

Senator Kamran Murtaza of JUI-F said if the legislation was so essential, the government should have realised it 15 months ago.