ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Tuesday came hard on critics of the PPP-led coalition government, saying those calling parliament a rubber stamp should learn that the history had no match for the independence exercised by the incumbent parliament.
“I have been a member of parliament since 1982, except for 1997 and 2002 elections, but I have never seen as independent a parliament the incumbent one. Let me tell you that the past parliament did nothing but chant slogans of ‘Go Musharraf Go’,” the prime minister said, while addressing the National Assembly.
Congratulating the nation as well as the political leadership over a successful test of Ghauri Hataf-5 missile and the tabling of a report of the constitutional committee on 19th Amendment in the House, Gilani said these were gifts for the nation.
He recalled that the former president addressed parliament only once, during his nine years’ rule, even though it was mandatory for him to do so every year. Gilani said parliament, politicians, the media and the judiciary were passing through an evolutionary stage, maturing and getting stronger. He said it was a good omen that Constitutional Reforms Committee Chairman Raza Rabbani had laid a unanimous report of the Committee on 19th Amendment in the House.
The prime minister also congratulated the members of the reforms committee and said all members unanimously passed the report on 19th amendment bill, which was a historic achievement.
“It is not a unicameral system. Rather it is bicameral system.
Both Houses of the parliament have 442 members and I am happy that not a single member opposed the 19th Amendment bill,” he added.
He said Rabbani’s efforts were commendable. He lauded the leadership of all political parties for showing political maturity and the role of the Supreme Court for showing respect to parliament and referring the cases of the 18th Amendment back to it for review and reconsideration.
“I compliment the Supreme Court for referring the matter to parliament for review. The judiciary has given the highest respect to parliament and parliament has reciprocated in the same manner,” Gilani said.
National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza also praised the role of the constitutional reforms committee, saying the act had strengthened institutions, rather than individuals.
PML-Q leader Riaz Pirzada said parliament’s maturity strengthened political institutions and the unanimous resolution had cemented the democratic system.
Aftab Shaikh of the PML-N said it was a historic day with the committee drafting a unanimous amendment.
MQM’s Khushbakht Shujaat said the abolishment of the concurrent list had ensured strong federating units which ultimately strengthened the federation.
Kashmala Tariq of the PML-Q (likeminded) said the committee should also have incorporated articles 17/4 and 63 and a provision for forming new provinces with a simple majority in the 19th Amendment.
