SM Zafar says resolution has ‘no legal value’ against act of law
Nauman Wazir says opposition will table bill to restore Article 203 in its original form; we are trying to restore sanctity of constitution
ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Wednesday passed a resolution with a majority vote to oppose the election of any disqualified person to be a member or an office bearer of any political party.
The resolution was moved by the leader of the opposition Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan and was supported by 52 lawmakers, as all the opposition parties—including disgruntled lawmakers from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)—supported the move. The resolution is a part of a face-saving effort by the opposition benches, who, despite enjoying a majority in the House, had failed to block a bill moved by the treasury benches carrying a controversial amendment into Article 203 of the constitution, allowing any disqualified person to become a member of any political party.
Later, the bill became an act of law after the same was passed by the National Assembly as well, allowing the former disqualified prime minister Nawaz Sharif to again become president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Noted jurist Senator SM Zafar told Pakistan Today that the resolution had no legal value and could not undermine the amendment earlier made into Article 203—which enabled any ineligible or disqualified person to hold public office.
“It is a ceremonial move perhaps to downplay the folly already made by the opposition. It’s of no use and it can’t undermine an act of law,” he added.
Senator Nauman Wazir, the parliamentary leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), also agreed to the judgment of SM Zafar.
“Yes, we know it’s a symbolic move, but it is perhaps the first step towards our objective. We will now move a constitutional amendment to reverse the black law enacted earlier by the government. We are trying to restore the sanctity of the constitution,” he added.
Asked when the opposition would be moving an amendment to restore Article 203 into its original form, Senator Nauman said the opposition will move the amendment in the upcoming session of the parliament.
Asked whether the opposition had required numbers in the National Assembly, Nauman Wazir said the way FATA senators had supported the opposition’s resolution, he was hopeful more support will come.
“FATA lawmakers, except one member, supported our resolution today. We hope to garner more support, even from the treasury benches in the National Assembly. We hope the lawmakers will respond to the call of their conscious,” he asserted.
The resolution, presented by Senator Aitzaz Ahsan, pointed out that an ineligible person—someone who has given up Pakistani citizenship, who is declared to be of an unsound mind or otherwise disqualified from holding public office by a court—cannot become the head of a party and take decisions.
Thus, the parliament is “exposed to becoming hostage to a person, who himself is barred from entering it,” the resolution states.
The leader of the House Senator Raja Zafarul Haq opposed the resolution, saying that a bill regarding the issue had already passed from the Senate, so bringing a resolution regarding the same is inappropriate.
Law Minister Zahid Hamid also opposed the resolution being put up for debate and said that every person should have the right to choose whoever they want as their leader.
However, the resolution passed with 52 senators voting in its favour and 28 voting against it.
Last month, the Senate defeated an amendment to the Elections Act 2017 with a single vote margin, paving the way for Nawaz Sharif to return as the president of PML-N after he was disqualified by the Supreme Court from becoming a member of the parliament.
PARLIAMENTARIANS WANT PROBE INTO IB MEMO:
Speaking on the floor, Senator Aitzaz Ahsan also demanded that a committee be formed to investigate the alleged Intelligence Bureau (IB) list of lawmakers with links to terrorist organisations.
“I do not accept that the letter is fake,” he said, adding that the issue required investigation since two senators had also been named in the list.
The issue of IB memo was also raised on the National Assembly floor by Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada.
Speaking on a point of order, Pirzada demanded the government quash a First Information Report (FIR) registered against journalist Arshad Sharif and ARY TV management, as the IB letter was fake.
He said Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had clarified in detail that the IB list was ‘fake’. “The prime minister has categorically termed the IB list as fake,” the minister said, asserting that the government should quash FIR against media. “We will not go for a head-on clash with the media,” he said. PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on a point of order, requested the minister IPC to get the FIR quashed, otherwise, the move would be taken as an attempt to gag the media.
FAZL WANTS PROBE INTO OATH OMISSION:
Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman said that there was a need for a proper investigation into the omission of Khatam-e-Nabuwwat’ (finality of Prophethood) clause in the bill passed from both the houses. “There is a need to ascertain the hidden facts behind the issue…It should be checked as to who is behind it,” said JUI-F chief.
About the passage of ‘Election act 2017’ from both houses, Maulana said that it was collective sin done in the house. PTI’s Shah Mahmood, however, rushed to raise voice, saying that they did not support the bill ‘bulldozed’ in the house; rather it was PML-N and JUI-F lawmakers who had supported the ‘sin’.
Maulana said that there was a need to reveal facts behind the issue. He said JUI-F’s Senator Hafiz Hamdullah had tried to point out controversy on the clause related to Khatam-e-Nabuwwat. He lauded AML chief Sheikh Rashid for pointing out the sensitivity of the matter when the bill was passed. “The committee should thoroughly probe the matter on the controversy,” he demanded.
About FATA issue, he said tribes from FATA should be given right to decide their future. “I am not against FATA merger with KP, but this matter should not be resolved in haste,” he said.
About FATA people public rally led by Shah G. Gul Afridi, he said tribal peoples from FATA were not in the rally. “Don’t hoodwink your agenda,” he said, claiming that genuine people from FATA would gather in Peshawar tomorrow in a rally.
VERBAL BRAWL BETWEEN QURESHI, ACHAKZAI:
PTI deputy parliamentary leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi and PkMAP chief Mehmood Achakzai engaged in a hot debate to speak on a point of order, but Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi prorogued the session.
Earlier, Abbasi had given the floor to PkMAP chief to speak on the issue but PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi insisted to speak on a point of clarification.
PkMAP chief Achakzai, in an emotional tone, insisted that he had the right to speak first as the floor was given to him. “I would not allow you (Shah Mahmood Qureshi)…Please sit down,” he said, asking the chair to prorogue the proceedings if he was not given proper chance to speak.
The lawmakers from PTI also kept demanding the floor. Meanwhile, a lawmaker from PTI also tried to point out lack of quorum, as around 70 lawmakers were present in the house.
Murtaza Javed Abbasi read out the ‘order of prorogation’ of the 47th session. The MNAs from opposition and government, even after the prorogation of the house, gathered around the speaker’s podium to further discuss the matter in loud voice for few minutes and later dispersed.