Government may introduce key legislative measures in National Assembly tomorrow

The government is expected to table four bills in the National Assembly including two Constitutional Amendments (21st and 22nd), to increase pension of widows of superior court judges and to provide legal cover to parliamentarians with dual nationality, it is learnt.
Two controversial legislation's to be tabled in the assembly on Monday are the enactment of a contempt of court law and validation of the orders of former Prime Minister from April 26, 2012 to June 19, 2012. However, the federal capital was abuzz with the rumours that the government may not table the dual nationality bill due to opposition by its coalition partners, Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional PML (F), which would not give it the two thirds majority necessary for a constitutional amendment.
According to well-placed sources in the National Assembly Secretariat, these four bills have been put on the agenda which would be placed in the Lower House of the Parliament on Monday. In a recent meeting between the PPP leadership and its coalition partners, President Zardari had expressed his annoyance over the way some of the coalition partners had opposed the draft bill on dual nationality in public and questioned why they were not taken into confidence before getting the bill approved from the federal cabinet.
When contacted, Bushra Gohar of ANP told Business Recorder that PPP gave a briefing to the leaders of coalition partners in a meeting held on Friday night at the Presidency. But, she added that a consensus was not developed on the bill so far. She said it is not a simple bill but an important amendment to the Constitution and the government should have taken the coalition partners into confidence before approval from the Cabinet.
Sources revealed that there are two views in the PPP on dual nationality - first is to table the bill in the National Assembly wherein it would be referred to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Law and Justice where members would discuss it. In the meantime, the government would evolve a consensus and the bill would be tabled for enactment, when they are able to manage the requisite two-thirds strength in the House. Second is that the bill should be withdrawn till a consensus of all allied parties is not developed.