Bill to empower
ISLAMABAD: The government had planned to pass a Bill to empower the caretaker set-up as part of electoral reforms. The Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms had already cleared the text of the plan.
However, the legislators added a controversial clause at the last minute, expanding the scope of the caretakers and allowing them to make decisions only on urgent matters.
Both friends and foes strongly opposed this move, forcing the government to defer the plan for one day.
During a joint sitting, former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani raised a procedural objection. He pointed out that according to the rules, a clear day’s notice was required for moving amendments to bills on the agenda.
He emphasized that members had not been provided with copies of the bills that contained amendments. Therefore, he urged the NA speaker not to turn the joint sitting into a mere rubber stamp.
JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmad, PTI’s Ali Zafar, JUI-F’s Kamran Murtaza, and PML-N’s Irfan Siddiqui all supported Raza Rabbani’s viewpoint.
Even Defence Minister Khawaja Asif agreed to defer the bill for a day. As a result, the NA speaker postponed the bill to give lawmakers time to read and review the amendments.
Govt proposes amendment in law to empower caretakers
Earlier, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led federal government proposed 54 amendments to the Election Act 2017. It aims to empower the interim setup and ensure electoral transparency.
The amendments include granting additional powers to the interim setup for crucial decisions related to the country’s economy. It seeks to enable the caretaker government to engage with international institutions through agreements.
The bill will be reportedly presented in the joint session of parliament on Wednesday.
Amid speculations that the ruling PML-N is seeking a consensus among coalition partners on appointing Ishaq Dar as the caretaker prime minister. In an interview, Dar confirmed that the interim ruler would have the authority to make important decisions by amending the Election Act 2017.
Dar affirmed that the government should not be making day-to-day decisions and should not be governing the country under section 230 of the election law. He emphasized the need for transparency.
Addressing the joint session of parliament, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar stated that the proposed amendments in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Bill were finalized in consultation with all political parties to ensure transparency in the electoral process.
Tarar informed the joint sitting about a special committee led by Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, comprising representatives from various political parties. The committee held multiple meetings for thorough deliberations on the amendments.
The discussions saw active participation from members, and the final report included their written submissions.
