KARACHI: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives professor Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry on Sunday said that no any democratic person could disagree with the Constitutional Amendment Package of Pakistan.
He said that the coalition government had been successful to turn around the economy of the country.
He expressed these views after a meeting with MQM-Pakistan leadership including its Chairman and Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui at MQM-Pakistan’s Pakistan House. Advisor to PM on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah and Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar were also present on the occasion.
Ahsan Iqbal said that they provided ample time to some parties that wished to review and consider constitutional amendment. ‘We built a consensus, which was a democratic process.’
He said that the leadership of MQM-Pakistan had continuously assisted with its suggestions on different issues including IPPs and along with them they successfully resolved IPPs issue. He said that they worked very hard to save Pakistan from economic default. The coalition partners including MQM-Pakistan also played role in the formation of government after general elections.
Recalling the events of past, he said that the democratic process of the country was derailed in the past through Article 58-2B and later a political consensus was developed and constitutional 58-2B was revoked but another way of 58-2B was paved way through courts and a series of disqualifying elected Prime Minister continued.
Iqbal said that the former elected prime minister Nawaz Sharif suffered illegal sentence, which was not a sentence pronounced against us but it was also against the people and development of the country including CPEC. He said that there was only darkness and damages during the four years from 2018 to 2022 and it was suffered by the nation and the country including Karachi because no development programme was initiated. Hamza Shehbaz’s government was removed in Punjab by a few judges on political grounds.
Iqbal was of the view that politically motivated decisions had been cause of damage to the country. He said that they wanted to keep the courts beyond any political issue and did not want anyone could point finger at them.
Replying to a question, he said that MQM-Pakistan had always emphasised on Article 140 A and they would collectively work to give constitutional protection to local government bodies. He further said that they had assured them that soon after the approval of constitutional amendment they could work to build a consensus over the matter. He said that a broad-based meeting would be convened over the issue of missing persons raised by MQM-Pakistan.
Answering a question, Iqbal said that the federal government would work with consultation of MQM-Pakistan over the budget for urban areas of Karachi and Hyderabad for development projects. He said that the Prime Minister had directed WAPDA regarding K-IV project and issued education funds. The federal government was working as per its limits. After 18th amendment, 60 percent resources had been devolved to the provincial governments.
Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) delegation led by its Secretary General and Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry, Advisor to PM on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah and Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar met with MQM-Pakistan leadership including its Chairman and Federal Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui at MQM-Pakistan’s Pakistan House.