ISLAMABAD - On the heels of the amendments proposed in the Awami National Party’s resolution in support of democracy and supremacy of the Parliament, the ruling coalition is all set to get it through from the National Assembly today(Monday).
The coalition partners - MQM, ANP and PML-Q - have ensured their full support to the government for the passage of the resolution that was tabled in the Lower House on Friday.
However, sources said the amendments, proposed by the PML-N, might delay its passage as the government was interested to get it passed with voice vote. The resolution could be passed in the House on Friday when it was tabled, however, it was delayed just to bring the opposition on board and to evolve consensus on it, sources added. Sources informed that the government had not yet decided to add all these amendments in the draft resolution but the matter could be resolved after consultation with the opposition leader today. They said the government will have to add these amendments for its unanimous passage otherwise the coalition partners could comfortably get it through with simple majority.
Sources said the ruling PPP had so far not consulted the coalition partners about these amendments, adding that the coalition partners had already asked the government to avoid confrontation and there was no reason of disagreement on their part about the proposed amendments submitted by the PML-N on which other opposition parties in the House were in line with PML-N.
Political observers considered the PML-N move an attempt to block the unanimous passage of the resolution and to dilute the impact and impression the government wanted to give to the other state organs. But some other sources in the party informed that to get full advantage of the resolution the government might delay it for a couple of days to evolve consensus on it.
It is pertinent to mention here that PML-N has submitted a number of amendments in the draft resolution in the National Assembly Secretariat, some of which call upon the government to implement the decisions of superior judiciary and previous resolutions passed by the House. The resolution, tabled by the ANP chief Asfandyar Wali, focuses on the supremacy of Parliament and support of the democracy.
Staff Reporter from Karachi adds: MQM on Sunday announced to support the pro-government and democracy resolution tabled by the ANP Chief Asfandyar Wali Khan in the National Assembly.
The MQM Coordination Committee Deputy Convener Dr. Farooq Sattar announced his party’s support to the resolution in the meeting held at Governor House in the presence of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, MQM leaders and Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
While briefing the media, Dr Farooq Sattar said that his party’s Coordination Committee has decided that it would fully support the pro-democracy resolution which would be tabled in the National Assembly by ANP leader Asfandyar Wali Khan.
He informed that he himself, his party’s leaders, Haider Abbas Rizvi and Iqbal Qadri attended the meeting while Interior Minister Rehman Malik represented the PPP in the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, Rehman Malik expressed gratitude to MQM and its Chief Altaf Hussain for their support.
Rehman appreciated the role of Altaf Hussain for strengthening democracy in the country.
He said the coalition between the PPP and MQM would continue in the future and we would jointly cope with all the challenges.
It may be noted here that the MQM Coordination Committee Karachi and London and party legal experts held the two days long session and briefly discussed the resolution and decided to support the resolution to strengthen democracy.