News
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Bill another feather in PPP’s cap, says Gilani
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday the 20th Constitutional Amendment approved by the National Assembly would ensure free, fair and transparent elections and an independent Election Commission. Speaking in the National Assembly after the passage of 20th Amendment, the prime minister said, “The amendment is another feather in the government’s cap. It has increased dignity of parliament and strengthened democracy.” PM Gilani congratulated the National Assembly speaker, parliament and the entire nation over the unanimous passage of the 20th Amendment. In the past, he said, parliament had unanimously passed 18th and 19th amendments “and now again this amendment has conveyed a loud and clear message that politicians with different programmes and manifestos can get united for a national cause”. The amendment is a message for those who thought that politicians could not sit together, he added. The prime minister said the amendment would also ensure that the interim government is not headed by an “imported” prime minister. He said the 20th Amendment had been made with a futuristic strategy for the benefit of coming generations and to meet the requirement of holding free and fair elections. “We have suffered badly because of the lacuna” and in the past elections under caretaker set-ups were not considered free and fair, he said. The prime minister thanked Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Senator Raza Rabbani, Senator Ishaq Dar, ministers Khurshid Shah, Naveed Qamar and PML-N MNA Zahid Hamid for their efforts in approval of the amendment. He said after the fall of Dhaka, a 128-member unicameral house of West Pakistan had written a unanimous constitution. “After the fall of Dhaka, Pakistan remained intact because of the 1973 Constitution and we have to make the constitution stronger and more effective,” he added. He said now parliament consisted of 442 members. “The Senate, which was created through 1973 Constitution, is for the protection of smaller provinces who have a sense of deprivation,” Gilani said. The prime minister said no change could be made to the constitution without consultation of provinces. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk