‘N’ attaches strings to cooperation with PPP

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Saturday attached strings to its cooperation to the government-sponsored resolution about parliament’s sovereignty and support to the democratic system by proposing three tough amendments: asking the ruling coalition to implement all parliamentary resolutions and court decisions, ensure corruption-free governance and take all administrative steps in accordance with the law.
National Assembly (NA) Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan submitted the draft of the amendments in the NA Secretariat on Saturday to apparently foil the government’s plan to pit the parliament against the judiciary and the army through its resolution. It, however, seems that the government’s plan to get its resolution passed unanimously would not materialise as the PML-N has proposed tough preconditions through its amendments to the resolution. Under these amendments, the PML-N has asked the government to fully implement all Supreme Court decisions ‘in letter and spirit’ and take immediate steps to resolve the issues being faced by the people through ‘corruption-free services’.
The PML-N has proposed an amendment in Paragraph 3 of the government’s resolution and asked the government to substitute the words “and all state institutions must strictly function within the limits imposed on them by the Constitution” with “and in this regard calls upon the government to immediately implement, in letter and spirit, all previous Resolutions of Parliament and all decisions of the superior judiciary and to ensure that all administrative actions are strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the law, for smooth functioning of all state institutions”.
The PML-N also called for the entire Paragraph 4 to be replaced with a new one. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s resolution had said: “The House reiterates that sovereignty lies with the people of Pakistan and the parliament is the repository of the collective wisdom of the people.” The PML-N wants it replaced with: “This House reaffirms that as stated in the first paragraph of the preamble to the constitution, sovereignty over the entire Universe belongs to Almighty Allah alone, and the authority to be exercised by the people of Pakistan within the limits prescribed by Him is a sacred trust.” The PML-N also proposed substitution of Paragraph 5. The PPP resolution had said: “This House endorses and support the efforts made by the political leadership for strengthening democracy and reposes full confidence and trust in them,” which the PML-N wants to replace with: “Finally, this house emphasises that the best guarantee for the strengthening of democracy is the successful resolution of the problems of the people of Pakistan by democratic institutions through dedicated, selfless and corruption-free services for the welfare of the common man and in this regard calls upon the Government to discharge its constitutional obligations and provide relief to the suffering masses by devoting all energies and efforts to improve governance, eliminate gas and electricity load shedding, control inflation, create employment opportunities and put the country back on the path of self-reliant economic growth.”
FINAL DRAFT OF RESOLUTION AFTER PML-N’S AMENDMENTS: This House believes that the present democratic dispensation, which is about to complete four years, came into being as a result of great sacrifices rendered by the people of Pakistan. This House reiterates the belief of the democratic forces that the future of Pakistan and well being of its people lies in the continuation and strengthening of democratic institutions and constitutionalism for the resolution of national issues, strengthening of the Federation and empowering the people of Pakistan This House believes that for the furtherance of democracy and ‘N’ attaches strings to cooperation with PPP democratic institutions the basic constitutional principle of trichotomy of powers must be fully respected and adhered to and in this regard calls upon the government to immediately implement, in letter and spirit, all previous Resolutions of Parliament and all decisions of the superior judiciary and to ensure that all administrative actions are strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the law, for smooth functioning of all state institutions.
This House reaffirms that as stated in the first paragraph of the Preamble to the Constitution, sovereignty over the entire universe belongs to Almighty Allah alone, and the authority to be exercised by the people of Pakistan within the limits prescribed by Him is a sacred trust.
Finally this House emphasises that the best guarantee for the strengthening of democracy is the successful resolution of the problems of the people of Pakistan by democratic institutions through dedicated, selfless and corruption-free services for the welfare of the common man and in this regard calls upon the Government to discharge its constitutional obligations and provide relief to the suffering masses by devoting all energies and efforts to improve governance, eliminate gas and electricity load shedding, control inflation, create employment opportunities and put the country back on the path of self-reliant economic growth.