September 23 , 2017
News
Nawaz set to get back PML-N presidentship
* Govt manages to get Election Reforms Bill, 2017, passed from Upper House by one vote amid walkout by Raza Rabbani
by Ijaz KakakhelISLAMABAD: The government on Friday succeeded in paving the way for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to regain PML-N party presidentship after approval of Clause 203 of the Election Reforms Bill, 2017, from the Senate amid walkout by Chairman Raza Rabbani.
The vote was held in the Upper House on the proposed amendment, with 38 lawmakers approving the bill without any amendment and 37 rejecting it. The government managed to get the bill passed by only one vote.
The PTI and PPP had called for amendment in the reforms bill to permanently bar any person disqualified under articles 62 and 63 from being an office-bearer of a political party. “Provided that the person shall not be appointed or serve as office-bearer of a political party if he is not qualified to be, or is disqualified from being, elected or chosen as Member of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) under any law for the time being in force,” an amendment submitted by PPP, ANP and PML-Q reads.
MQM-P sided with the ruling PML-N to ensure that Nawaz gets back party presidency. The bill, which was approved by the National Assembly in August, gives every citizen the right to be part of a political party or create one, except those in government service.
After the passage of the bill, PML-N leader Mushahidullah said with the approval of clause 203, Nawaz could become the party chief again. “In fact, it can be considered that he has already become the party chief,” he added. The bill also proposes electoral reforms including: a fine of up to Rs 0.1 million for lawmakers or three years in jail if irregularities are found in details of their assets and termination of lawmakers’ membership if they fail to submit asset details within 60 days. The ECP will also get additional powers allowing it to seek services of any institution to investigate irregularities in details of assets.
Chairman Raza Rabbani staged walkout over Senate voting against his decision to disallow Law Minister Zahid Hamid from moving an amendment to Clause 60 of the bill. “The House voted against my decision, therefore, keeping in view the ethical standards and parliamentary traditions, I decided not to sit in the House for consideration of this bill.” The bill will now return to National Assembly for approval. If the Lower House of parliament passes the bill with amendments, it will become a law after formal assent by President Mamnoon Hussain.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir informed Senate that the 41-nation Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism (IMAFT) would not take part in unrelated military operations.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk