Proposal moved in NA to prohibit interest on private loans

The National Assembly on Thursday witnessed introduction of a private member's bill to prohibit the business and practices of private money-lending and advancing loans and transactions based on interest.

The bill - the Islamabad Capital Territory Prohibition of Interest on Private Loans Bill, 2091 - was moved by PTI lawmaker Muhammad Sana Ullah Khan Masti Khel. It was referred to the relevant committee for further consideration.

The preamble of the bill says that injunctions of Islam as laid in the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah have explicitly and unequivocally prohibited charging interest on loans and have declared war against those who do not abandon interest.

It says that Constitution of Pakistan obliges the State to take steps to enable the Muslims of country, individually or collectively, to order their lives in accordance with fundamental principles and basic concepts of Islam and to provide facilities whereby they may be enabled to understand the meaning of life according to the Holy Quran and Sunnah.

According to the Statement of Objects and Reason, the bill is aimed to curb menace created by private loan sharks and money lenders who are charging interest and then molest the borrowers for recovery.

A legislative proposal was moved in the Lower House of Parliament on Thursday aimed at treating drug (methamphetamine) peddlers with iron hand by enhancing imprisonment and fine on them and making the offence non-bailable and cognizable in any case.

The bill - the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2019 - was moved by PTI legislator Muhammad Sana Ullah Khan Masti Khel in the National Assembly and the Speaker Asad Qaiser referred it to the relevant committee for further consideration.

It proposed to insert new sections 9A and 9B after section 9 in the Control of Narcotics Substances Act, 1997.

The new section 9A says," No one shall produce, manufacture, extract, prepare, possess, offer for sale, sell, purchase, distribute, deliver on any terms whatsoever, transport, dispatch methamphetamine, except for medical, scientific or industrial purposes in the manner and subject to such conditions, as may be specified by Government".

In other section called 9B, the punishment has been recommended for contravention of section 9A.

The sub-section (a) of 9B suggests imprisonment up to period of seven years and fine not less than three hundred thousand rupees in case the quantity of methamphetamine does not exceed one hundred grams.