FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

The delay in tabling the draft of 18th Amendment bill in the parliament due to deadlock over renaming of NWFP between PML-N and ANP Thursday shocked some parliamentarians as well people who had been eyeing the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms, which has been working on it for the last nine months.
Majority of parliamentarians including some democratic loving people were optimistic that efforts made by PPP stalwart Senator Raza Rabbani will not go in vain but all their hopes died down when PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif once again raised eye brows over the composition of judicial commission, while earlier the committee had settled the issue through consensus.
They also expressed sorrow, particularly the Committee members belonging to PPP, MQM and small parties of Balochistan over the attitude of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif for showing proviso on the procedure for the appointment of judges, which has already been settled by the Committee.
Mian Nawaz Sharif once again showed strong reservations on composition of Judicial Commission of Pakistan and procedure for the appointment of judges. When PML-N members raised the issues for dropping Law Minister or Attorney General of Pakistan, the committee once again took up this issue on their demand and decided in principle to change the composition of Judicial Commission of Pakistan.
After it, the committee unanimously recommended to include a retired judge of the Supreme Court as 7th member of the commission. The PML-N members were satisfied with this recommendation. Even, PML-N acting spokesman Ahsan Iqbal who is also a member of the committee said on record in a private TV channel that his party fully supported the committee's recommendations.
Similarly, one day, Ahsan told reporters after the PCCR meeting, the committee took so good a decision that after its implementation, the others countries would follow it. In this regard, the PPP could block this procedure and even it becomes controversial for Chief Justice if PPP stressed to follow the Charter of Democracy (CoD) which says that Chief Justice of Pakistan will chair the Judicial Commission who had not taken oath under PCO.
The PML-N leaders often kept on repeating the mantra of following the CoD but finally it also broke the track record of PPP in violating the promises regarding the historic document signed by Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif. The Committee has completed almost all its work except renaming of NWFP. It has also settled the procedure of appointment of judges with consensus.
But suddenly, the PML-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif took a U-turn on the composition of the Commission and appointment of judges. Some speculations are that Mian Nawaz Sharif showed reservation on the Composition of the Commission on the signal of some forces.
Even Mian Nawaz Sharif suggested to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to consult with the Chief Justice of Pakistan in this regard. He also proposed to hold consultative meeting between the Chief Justice of Supreme Court and PCCR Co-chairman Mian Raza Rabbani and Muhammad Ishaq Dar of PML-N for censuses on making mechanism for the appointment of the judges of superior courts. He also proposed to increase the strength of judges in the Commission.
Mian Nawaz is not in a hurry to present draft of 18th amendment Bill for abolishing the major power about the office of the President including Article-58 (2b). On the other hand, State Minister for Port and Shipping Nabil Gabol said that PPP would bring draft of 18th Amendment bill whether PML-N is agreed or not. The other members of the Committee belonging to MQM, PML-Q and small parties of Balochistan regretted the PML-N for taking U-turn on judges.
According to them, the Committee held more than 70 marathon meetings for preparing draft of recommendations in the Constitutional reforms to strengthen the democratic institutions and supremacy of parliament. Now, any party should not create hurdles as it is in final stage.