The National Assembly has been called to meet early next week for budget session but it is uncertain whether the government would also bring in a proposed constitutional amendment to trim President Pervez Musharraf's powers. Officials at the National Assembly secretariat said on Monday they had received orders from the office of Musharraf, summoning the lower house for June 2.
An advisor for the parliamentary affairs division told this correspondent a summary to summon the Senate on June 4 had also been moved. The budget, Izhar Amrohi said, was likely to be presented in the National Assembly on June 7. The same evening it would be placed before the Senate also as per parliamentary traditions.
The lower house is expected to approve the budget towards end of June, days ahead of the start of new financial year from July 1. But the advisor did not sound conviction that ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) would be able to go through a consultation process with coalition partners on the proposed constitutional amendment package.
The PPP has finalised the package that envisages the transfer of the most of president's power to prime minister, a move aimed at making Musharraf spineless. PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari told media it would be presented in the lower house ahead of the budget. Izhar and some other party stalwarts said it looked difficult.
The PPP wants the package to share and discuss with other coalition partners including Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N). "The exercise will take some time," Amrohi added. The PPP will have to discuss its package with at least five political parties-PML-N, Awami National Party (ANP), Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)-if it really wants to take it through both houses of the parliament.