Zardari signs 18th Amendment Bill into law

President Asif Ali Zardari signed the Bill of Eighteenth Constitutional Amendment today, after which it became part of the Constitution, Geo News reported.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, cabinet members, PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif, Chairman Constitutional Reforms Committee of the Parliament Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, Chief Ministers and governors of the provinces attended the ceremony held at the Presidential House.

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani congratulation to all the members of parliament and the entire nation on the occasion of signing of the 18th amendment bill.

“This crowning achievement will be remembered for all times to come,” he said. Let’s uphold the democratic values, he added.

The government is making every possible effort to overcome the challenges such as power shortage, poverty, rural and urban backwardness and unemployment.

He said presence of the President, Prime Minister, Parliamentarians, chief ministers and the entire opposition at one place is unprecedented in the history of Pakistan.

Senator and Chairman Parliamentary Committee for Constitutional Reforms (PCCR) Raza Rabbani paid tributes to all the members of the committee for what he said their “political maturity, political sagacity and rising above interest” for making possible the finalization of the 18th amendment.

He also paid tributes to the political leaders, saying without their guidance the Parliamentary Committee could not move ahead with the kind of open mindedness that was required for the uphill task.

Raza Rabbani said the 18th amendment bill is unique in three ways. First, it is for the first time that a duly elected president is giving his powers willingly to the prime minister and the parliament.

The constitution was mutilated by the dictators who aimed to perpetuate their power. The power does away with the name of Zia-ul-Haq; it does away with the wastages of Musharraf by repealing the 17th amendment bill.

The question of provincial autonomy ‘to some extent’ has been solved, Raza Rabbani said.

The PCCR knew that it cannot amend the basic fundamentals of the Constitution. We have maintained its Islamic character and that it continues remain a democratic constitution in a true sense, he said.

The 18th amendment bill has been passed without a dissenting note, which, he said, shows that institutions are strong.

“The Constitution returns as nearly as possible to the principles of the 1973 constitution,” Raza Rabbani announced with satisfaction.