Anusha Rehman and Zahid Hamid of PML-N expressed some resentment over a few provisions of the bill, saying if the bill was passed in its current shape, it could be misused. The MQM, which is an ally of the government, was also not satisfied with the bill and expressed some reservations, saying that in its entirety, the bill was against the fundamental rights of the people.
S A Iqbal Qaderi of MQM feared that the bill might be used for political victimisation of workers of political parties or ordinary citizens, which should be taken seriously. All reservation were put aside by the chairperson of the parliamentary panel, who declared the bill passed and walked away with a gloomy face without listening to the objections raised by two mainstream political parties - PML-N and MQM. In an angry tone, she murmured that anybody who had reservations could write a dissenting note, otherwise table new amendments.
This infuriated PML-N lawmakers, who held a press conference. Zahid Hamid of PML-N said that his party supported the bill in principle. "The thing we want to stress is that it should not be misused," he maintained. MNA Ansuha Rehman said that all contentious issues should be resolved, but the bill had been passed in haste, without listening to the opposition's queries.
She stressed that solid safeguards should be provided against invasion of privacy. "This is a matter of grave concern, as it directly relates to privacy of individuals," she pointed out. Zahid Hamid said that his party had submitted 31 proposals, of which most had been turned down by the committee. He maintained that his party would table an amendment to the bill if the current bill was bulldozed by the government. He feared that the bill would give a free hand to police and spying agencies to pick up innocent people based on suspicions without registering an FIR against them.