ISLAMABAD: In a bid to encourage people to identify wrongdoing, the government of Pakistan is considering presenting before parliament a bill that will shield whistle-blowers and all those who report immoral or illegal practices.
“Legislation for protection of whistle-blowers is on the cards. The government is introducing a bill that seeks protection of the life and property of anyone providing information about corruption and/or any step that endangers the public,” said Law Secretary Justice (retd) Raza Khan.
Speaking before the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice and Human Rights, he said the ministry of law, justice and human rights, after finalising the draft, has sent the proposed piece of legislation to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
“Premier Nawaz has directed us to get the cabinet’s approval before we present it [Whistleblowers Protection Bill 2015] before parliament,” he told the panel.
Commenting on the proposed bill, the committee’s chairman Javed Abbasi said such legislation will help people to lift the lid on corrupt practices in private and public sectors.
Officials, who prepared the proposed draft of the bill, said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had given their input on the proposed legislation.
In a letter, NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman suggested that government may promulgate ‘Whistle-blowers Protection Act’ to prevent corruption in the country, said NAB’s spokesperson Nawazish Ali.
He said under the UN Convention against Corruption, such legislation on whistle-blowers’ protection is obligatory.
The panel has invited members of minority communities for their input to further discuss the
bill. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-
Fazl (JUI-F) Senator Hafiz Hamdullah had moved the bill in Senate. Internews
