Amended Official Secrets Act challenged in Lahore High Court

LAHORE: A petition has been filed in Lahore High Court challenging amended Official Secrets Act, ARY News reported on Monday.

Federal government, the ministries of law and interior have been made parties in the petition filed by Mohammad Muqsit Saleem advocate.

Petitioner has termed the amended Official Secrets Act as an extra-constitutional legislation, in which the agencies have been entrusted with unconstitutional powers.

The law gives intelligence agencies the power to arrest any citizen without warrants.

Under the law, an arrested person could not compulsorily be produced in the court of a magistrate, according to the petition.

The constitution provides civil liberties and protection of fundamental human rights, petitioner said.

The high court has been pleaded to declare clauses 2,4 and 11 of the amended Official Secrets Act as null and void.

Petitioner also requested to the court to issue restraining order with regard to enforcement of the law till court decides the case.

The Senate on Sunday passed the amended Official Secrets Act after government withdrew a controversial clause that was criticized by the treasury and opposition benches in the house over unbridled powers delegated to intelligence agencies.