"The Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Bill, 2010" has been laid before the National Assembly without any delay for debate to restore. Adviser to Prime Minister and Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms (PCCR) Mian Raza Rabbani Tuesday moved "The Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Bill, 2010" in the House for debate. To initiate a debate on the Bill, a resolution was therefore moved to suspend other business in the House.
-- 18th Amendment bill laid before National Assembly
-- It's a new social contract: PML-N
While opening the debate on the Bill, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said that all stakeholders and organs are on the same page to remove the distortions from the 1973 Constitution and strengthen institutions while ensuring supremacy of Parliament. "Today, for this purpose, the President, the Prime Minister, Opposition, the military, Supreme Court, whole of Parliament, all organs of the state and the whole nation are on one page," he said.
The Prime Minister said the 18th Amendment was a dividend of politics based on reconciliation, which would strengthen institutions and help create balance of power between the President and the Parliament. "It was not an ordinary task; it could not have been accomplished if there were lingering differences among parties... the opposition or the President had not favoured the move," Gilani said.
The Prime Minister appreciated the role of all political leadership of the country, PCCR Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani and the committee members for preparing Constitutional Reforms Package. "I also pay tributes to the leadership in the Parliament, governments of the Provinces, law enforcement agencies and the civil society for their sacrifices and the spirit of national reconciliation in politics," he said. He said the politics of reconciliation had not only helped them achieve this great goal but also paved the way for Aghaz-e-Huqooq Balochistan Package, 7th NFC Award and a befitting response to terrorism.
"We started the politics of reconciliation and the nation stood united in the war against terrorism and for the first time in the history of Pakistan 2.5 million IDPs were repatriated to their houses within three months. In our government, there is no political victimisation, as there is not a single political worker in prison," Gilani said. The Prime Minister said Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif had realised the mistakes of past and signed the Charter of Democracy (CoD) for restoration of real democracy in the country. He said that CoD is part of the PPP manifesto with the passage of this bill and 90 percent of the work is completed.
The Prime Minister said he met President Zardari and said "power is like the game of musical chairs. One should not go after a thing that is not permanent. So we need to strengthen institutions and not the persons," he said. Later, Mian Raza Rabbani explained almost all the clauses of the Bill. He termed it a "unique" bill through which the incumbent President is giving his powers to the Prime Minister and the parliament for the first time in the political history of the country.
He said this Bill would also curtail individuals' powers and help strengthen the state institutions. While explaining the clauses, Rabbani proposed the repeal of the 17th amendment and Legal Frame-work Order (LFO). He also proposed repeal of Article 58 (2b) of the constitution; a reduction in the size of the federal cabinet up to eleven percent of the members of the Parliament.
In the provinces the cabinet should consist of fifteen members or eleven percent of the provincial assembly whichever is higher; reserving four seats in the Senate, one from each province, thus enhancing the strength of its members to 104. The Bill also proposes free education to each child between the age of five to sixteen years, he said.
Other proposals/explanations: The Council of Common Interests with Prime Minister as its Chairman will meet once in ninety days; abolishment of Concurrent List; appointment of Services Chiefs by the President on the Advice of the Prime Minister; and the setting up of a Judicial Commission for the appointment of judges of the superior courts; appointment of Chief Election Commissioner in consultation with the leader of the House and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly. While participating in debate, Ahsan Iqbal of PML-N termed the 18th amendment bill a new social contract and big step toward the provincial autonomy. Amir Maqum of PML-Q, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and other members also participated in the debate.
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