PPP accepts MQM plea to shelve LB bill amendment

Sindh Governor, Dr.Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan in meeting with Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Interior, A.Rehman Malik at Governor House in Karachi on Friday. Dawn

KARACHI: In a major initiative for normalisation of their estranged relationship, the Pakistan People’s Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement agreed on Friday that all lawmaking, including the one relating to the commissionarate system, would be made in consultation with coalition partners.

This, according to observers, means that the government will not table the amended local government bill in the Sindh Assembly.

The agreement was reached at a meeting of a committee set up by President Asif Ali Zardari to sort out issues between coalition partners in the province. The five-hour long meeting between Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad and Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah was held at the Governor’s House.

According to a press release issued by the Governor’s House, the decision was taken “in accordance with the vision” of President Zardari and MQM chief Altaf Hussain. The meeting discussed, besides others, the issue of commissionarate system — a bone of contention between the two parties. A report on the meeting will be submitted to the president.

Analysts described the move as a breakthrough, although modalities are yet to be worked out. Mr Ibad and Mr Malik played a key role in lowering the temperature between the two parties.

The MQM has objected to the government’s bill to replace the local bodies with the commissionarate system and conveyed its reservations to Mr Zardari.

NA passes 19th Amendment

The-Nation


National Assembly Wednesday passed the 19th constitutional amendment. The constitutional amendment was tabled in National Assembly today after the bill was endorsed by the federal cabinet, a private TV reported. 

The bill introduces 26 amendments in six Articles of the Constitution. The house clause-wise passed the constitutional amendment, which was later passed to enter as a part of the constitution. With the amendment four senior judges of Supreme Court have been made members of the judicial commission instead of the two judges. The legislation also withdraws the powers of the Chief Justice with regard to appointment of the adhoc judges in higher courts and handed over the same to the judicial commission. The bill also proposes at least 15-year experience for the representative of a provincial bar that will represent the body in the Judicial Commission.