Rejecting amendments introduced by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the National Assembly on Monday adopted the pro-democracy resolution moved by Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan with majority vote, while the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, one of the opposition parties, also supported the resolution. The PML-N members walked out of the session to protest against the passage of the resolution.
However, the treasury benches introduced an amendment in paragraph four of the original text of the resolution on the advice of the PML-N with the modification that ‘the House reiterates that sovereignty lies with Almighty Allah and to be exercised by the people of Pakistan and parliament is the repository of the collective wisdom of the people”. Earlier, Asfandyar Wali’s resolution stated: “This House reiterates that sovereignty lies with the people of Pakistan and the parliament is the repository of the collective wisdom of the people.” Taking part in the debate on the resolution, Opposition Leader Chaudhry
Nisar Ali Khan said there was no threat to democracy and the government was finding itself in a blind alley due to its own follies. “It is time for soul searching and dispassionate self assessment … the real PPP stalwarts have been sidelined and unwise advisers have brought the government to this stage,” he said. Defending the PML-N’s amendments, Nisar said how could a democratic government and parliament oppose a demand for obeying Supreme Court orders?
“An independent parliament cannot be established without an independent judiciary and independent judiciary is impossible without an independent parliament,” he said, asking the treasury benches to incorporate the PML-N’s amendment in the resolution. He said if the people and the solution of their problems was not part of the resolution, it would lack support of the masses and would be weightless. He said the government was on a confrontational path with the institutions to save one man’s skin. Nisar said the opposition would not offer its shoulders to anyone for undemocratic change in the country.
“If we succeed winning majority in the House, we will bring a no-confidence motion against the prime minister,” he said, asking the PPP allies to part ways with the government.He said there was complete mess in the country and the attorney general had rebutted the prime minister’s statement vis-à-vis army chief and ISI DG’s replies to the apex court in the memo case. Without naming Babar Awan, Nisar said former office-bearers of Ziaul Haq Foundation were now calling the shots in the PPP.
PML-N MNA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq moved his party’s amendments in the resolution. The Pakistan People’s Party and its allies rejected the amendments in which it had asked the government to fully implement all apex court decisions “in letter and spirit” and take immediate steps to resolve the issues being faced by the people at the grassroots level through “corruption-free services”. The PML-N had also proposed an amendment in the paragraph No 3 of the government’s resolution and asked the government to substitute the words, “and all state institutions must strictly function within the limits imposed on them by the constitution”, with the following: “and in this regard calls upon the government to immediately implement, in letter and spirit, all previous resolutions of parliament and all decisions of the superior judiciary.”
The resolution passed by the House says: “This House believes that the present democratic dispensation‚ which is about to complete four years‚ came in to being as a result of great sacrifices rendered by the people of Pakistan. This House reiterates the belief of the democratic forces that the future of Pakistan and well being of its people lies in the continuation and strengthening of democratic institutions and constitutionalism for the resolution of national issues‚ strengthening of the federation and empowering the people of Pakistan. This House believes that for the furtherance of democracy and democratic institutions the basic constitutional principle of trichotomy of powers must be fully respected and adhered to and all state institutions must strictly function within the limits imposed on them by the constitution. This House endorses and supports the efforts made by the political leadership for strengthening democracy and reposes full confidence and trust in them.”
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