NA approves pro-democracy resolution

Pakistan

NA approves pro-democracy resolution

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Lawmakers have approved pro-democracy resolution in the National Assembly on Monday.

16 January,2012 07:22 am

The said resolution was tabled by ANPleader Asfandyar. Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani congratulated the Parliamentarians on passage of the resolution while Pakistan Muslim League-N and PPP (Sherpao) MNAs staged a walk.He said he would appear before the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of Pakistan.The Prime Minister said: After becoming the Prime Minister my first words were: Release the judges.He said the government wanted no confrontation with any institution including the judiciary and that no one should degrade the mandate of the elected government.We need no certificate to prove our patriotism, he said, citing sacrifices rendered by the leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party for the cause of democracy in the country.He said he did not need to take vote of confidence. During the proceedings of the lower house, amendments proposed by Pakistan Muslim League-N were approved and incorporated into the resolution which was later read out by the Federal Minister Naveed Qamar.One of the amendments said the final authority to rule lies with Allah Almighty.Speaking on the floor of the house, Opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said although his party had decided not to support any resolution, it changed its stance for the sake of national interest and put forth the amendments after engaging in talks with the government.He said the countrys democracy was not facing any danger. However, he added that no hope could be pinned to Peoples Party for betterment in (countrys) situation.All set for today’s chaotic session of the National Assembly as much uproar and hubbub is expected between the opposition and coalition parties during debate on said pro-government resolution.Both the opposition and treasury parties are likely to respond in same coins to each other during discussion on said resolution.On the other side, opposition claimed that the government failed in getting desired results out of tabling resolution in favour of government.A spokesperson of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the second biggest political party in the lower house of the Parliament, while talking to Online observed that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led coalition government wished to get a resolution passed in favour of the President and Prime Minister rather than in favour of the democratic system.“However, allied partners Awami National Party (ANP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and others compelled PPP on acceptance of some amendments in the draft of the resolution,” said PML-N leader Siddiqul Faroq terming the current draft of resolution as sheer failure of the ruling PPP in fulfilling of its designs.Responding to a query on strategy of his party for today’s session in the National Assembly during debate on resolution, he said that his party had proposed some amendments in the resolution and if they would be accepted, PML-N would extend support, otherwise would oppose the resolution in the House. PML-N, Saturday, proposed three amendments to the resolution moved by the PPP-led coalition government in the National Assembly on Friday.Through the amendments signed by all 90 members of the PML-N, the party sought to remove the call for all state institutions to “strictly function” within the constitutional limits and, instead, suggested to make it binding on the government “to immediately implement in letter and spirit all previous resolutions of parliament and all the decisions of the superior judiciary”.On the same subject, Arif Alvi, Secretary General, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said that coalition government moved resolution to avoid implications of option six given by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in its verdict on case related to implementation another judgment on NRO.He added that coalition government had done nothing good in public welfare so that it could justify its demand for a parliamentary resolution in its favour. He remarked that government gave a significant boost to corruption from day one and now was willing to get a resolution from parliament to rectify its corruption.At the same time, Syed Munawar Hassan, Jamaat-e-Islami Amir, while addressing a public gathering, alleged the government for defaming judiciary and weakening constitutional institutions through its steps for independence of the parliament.“The PPP moved resolutions and bills in the parliament just to put its corruption and scams out of focus of the people” he added, saying that national institutions were weakened in the so-called democratic regime of the incumbent government.On the other side, coalition partners, ANP, MQM and others have already announced to extend full support for the government to get the resolution passed from the House.