ISLAMABAD: Electoral Reforms Bill 2017 has been approved in the National Assembly on Monday whilst opposition members branded it a contradiction of Article 62 and Article 63 of the constitution.
However, Law Minister Zahid Hamid tabled the bill in the National Assembly. The bill, already passed by the Senate paves way for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to head PML-N despite the fact that he is ineligible to hold a public office following a court verdict in July leading to his disqualification.
The bill was passed amidst a ruckus as opposition lawmakers protested. The opposition lawmakers tore copies of the bill and threw them onto the speaker’s dais as he announced its passage. The president is expected to sign it into law soon.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the clause that was proposed to be added in the bill contradicted with the Article 62 and Article 63 of the Constitution of Pakistan. The PTI vice chairman demanded exclusion of Section 203 in the draft. Qureshi said that the provision, if the parliament goes ahead with approving it, would be challenged in the courts. Members of the opposition chanted slogans and protested against the proceedings of the House.
Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed too criticized the move in his speech and termed the law an attack on democracy in Pakistan. He said that the House was moving to risk democracy by mending the laws for a person. He claimed that the government was going to play with the dignity of the polls in Pakistan.
AML leader said that Pakistan has never in the history bore satisfactory results of any clash. “The reality behind Clause 203 has been hidden from us,” Jamaat-i-Islami’s Sahibzada Tariqullah asid as he presented proposed amendments to the bill. He said that it was condemnable that the legislation could allow a person who had been disqualified by the Supreme Court to hold office.
Session of the assembly was previously to be convened on October 4th but it was rescheduled for October 2nd.
Earlier, the Central Executive Committee of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday has approved amendment in party constitution after which the ousted member would also be able to lead the party. NNI
