PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sensitive and Vulnerable Establishments and Places (Security) Bill 2014 on Tuesday sailed through the provincial assembly declaring almost all public places except mosques the `sensitive establishments and vulnerable places.

The law binds owners to take sufficient and appropriate physical and technical steps for the security of notified places which include installation of CCTV cameras, biometric system, walk-through gates, security alarm and modern gadgetry as required.

Under the law, hospitals, banks, moneychangers, financial institutions, firms, companies, industrial units, educational institutions, public parks, private clinics, wedding halls, petrol and CNG stations, jewellery shops, hotels (three stars and above), any amusement or entertainment centres, public transport terminals, specialbazaars, commercial streets, shops or shopping arcades, or any other place as the government may, from time to time, notify have been declared vulnerable establishments and places.

Sensitive government or nongovernmental institutions, offices of NGOs, foreign projects or any other office, institution, religious places except mosques have also been included in the list.

Law and parliamentary affairs minister Imtiaz Shahid moved a resolution for the passage of the bill.

The provincial government had earlier introduced that law by promulgating an ordinance in February 2014, which later expired after completion of its constitutional life of three months.

The ordinance was introduced in the assembly in March 2014 which was referred to the house`s select committee after Qaumi Watan Party parliamentary leader Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao and his fellow MPA, Anisazeb Tahirkheli, had jointly moved the `disapproval resolution.

The law said, `the responsibility of vulnerable establishments or places shall be on the owner, lessee or the occupant for making security arrangement according to the size and volume of a vulnerable establishment or place.`The station house officer (SHO) of the police station concerned may, at any time, inspect any sensitive establishment and place or vulnerable establishment and place or any other notified by the government.

In case of noncompliance, the head of the district police may issue a written warning to the person responsible for the notified sensitive place.

According to the law, the head, in charge or management of any sensitive establishment or place or vulnerable establishment and place as the case may be who acts in violation of the provisions of this law will be punishable for imprisonment, which may extend to one year or a fine which may extend to Rs40,000 or both.

The assembly also passed `The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Speaker and Deputy Speaker`s (Salaries Allowances and Privileges) (Amendment) Bill, 2014.

Under the amendment, the permissible amount for maintenance of the ofñcial residences of the speaker and deputy speaker has been enhanced from Rs100,000 to Rs1 million.

Separate bills on health care commission and medical teaching institutions reforms were also tabled in the house.

RESOLUTIONS: Lawmakers also unanimously passed a resolu-tion to pay tribute to Aitzaz Hassan Bangash, student of a government school in Ibrahimzai, Hangu district, who had died on January 6, 2014 while stopping a suicide bomber at the school`s main entrance.

MPA Nighat Orakzai tabled the resolution, which stated Aitzaz saved the lives of over 300 students and teachers by sacrificing his life.

It declared the schoolchild a `martyr of Pakistan` and asked the provincial government to make the story of his bravery part of textbooks.

`Instead of imaginary stuff, the government should include stories of real heroes like Aitzaz and slain students of the Army Public School and College Peshawar in textbooks,` stated the resolution.

Through another resolution, the treasury and opposition benches expressed reservation about the laying of gas pipeline from Karak to Faisalabad and declared the act a violation of Article 158 of the Constitution.

The resolution said the Sui Northern Gas Company should stop work on the project immediately and fulfil the needs of the people of Karak, Hangu and Kohat districts along with those living in other areas of the province before supplying gas to Punjab and other parts of the country.