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ISLAMABAD: With a pause of just two days — whereby the Government and a segment of the opposition, MMA — signed an accord to bring to an end all types of controversies vis-à-vis the Legal Framework Order [LFO], the apex Leader of the six-parties religio-political alliance, rejected the draft of the bill — the moment it was tabled before the lower house of Pakistan's Parliament, the National Assembly — Friday.

The acting chief of MMA, Qazi Hussain Ahmad aired his standpoint with a plea that the document, placed before the House — ‘negated the actual text and spirit of the concord — which was inked by the two sides’.

Amid a new political scenario — which, as the analysts say — ‘may put adverse affects on the national polity, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has called an urgent meeting of the parliamentary parties heads — including the ruling PML [Q] — on Sunday, perceptibly ‘to evolve a new strategy to cope with the MMA’s objection ’.

In-depth

Political deadlock took over the last day’s cordial atmosphere where the government and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal agreed to join hands on certain terms.

Cracks appeared Friday when the government tabled a bill in the National Assembly for introducing 17th amendment in the constitution. Legal Framework Order, which has long been a bone of contention, was to be incorporated partially in the constitution under the agreement.

Qazi's Viewpoint

MMA leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed, speaking in the assembly said that the bill introduced by the government was not in accordance with the agreement reached between his side and the government.

'We have reservations on several points. They are talking of judges’ age (retirement age) but we can see no mention of this in the constitution whether it should be 65 or 68. If our demands are not met we will be compelled to go back to the people', he said.

Qazi said that LFO has never been a part of the constitution. 'The government assured to accommodate our views but this is not reflected in the bill', he said.

Speaking on the bill, the MMA leader asked the government to amend the bill according to the agreement. He said 17th constitutional amendment bill moved by the government today has indicated that LFO is part of the constitution and the parliament has to made amendments in the constitution which has already LFO as its part.

Violation of Accord

Qazi observed that it is the violation of the agreement between MMA and government as the negotiations were started on the basis that LFO is not part of the constitution and it would be brought in the house in full to get two third majority of the House.

He assured that if the government would bring amended bill in accordance with the agreement including all the articles of LFO, the MMA would extend full support for its approval.

Jamali Responds

Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali while responding to the reservations of the MMA, said that the bill moved in the house is in accordance with the
agreement signed between MMA and government.

He however, said that SM Zafar who prepared the draft of the bill, has gone to Lahore and told the National Assembly that he will be in Islamabad tomorrow and MMA leaders and Government would again review the draft of the bill jointly to remove the discrepancies or any misunderstandings.

Confusion

The confusion was created when some of the articles of the 17th constitutional amendment bill included amendments related to age of the retirement of the judges, which was increased through LFO.

Many other members of the MMA including Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman urged the government to make the bill in accordance with the agreement signed between MMA and government.

ARD Stance

Similarly, the members of ARD, belonging to PPPP and PML-N including Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Chaudhry Nisar, Ms Tehmina Daultana, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Pervez Ashraf highlighted the flaws in the bill and demanded that government should bring the whole LFO before the parliament to make it part of the constitution.

Fazl asks for Changes

Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman said that the government must fulfill its commitment and change the amendment bill. 'Under the agreement we did not agree to compromise on principles. We have several reservations on this bill', he said.

PM's Shuttle

On this occasion, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali shuttled between the opposition leaders including Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

He had a debate with them for a few minutes and later stood up to address the House.

During his speech, Jamali said that the government will fulfil its commitment and accommodate MMA’s view point. He said that SM Zafar, the architect of the government-MMA accord, was in Lahore and has been asked to come back to Islamabad. 'We will take MMA along with us', he assured.

Jamali maintained that the bill was in accordance with the agreement between the MMA and the government. 'We did not change anything'. He said both the sides can sit down together again and work out reservations if any on the subject.

English may be 'Hazrad': Shujaat

When contacted, the PML [Q] President, Chaudary Shujaat Hussain said that the draft bill — on LFO — was absolutely based on the contents, agreed between the government and the MMA.

He ruled out the claim that any changes had been incorporated in the bill, tabled before the National Assembly on Friday and said: ‘even now if anything is left or misunderstood, shall be removed, the moment SM Zafar gets back to the capital today — Saturday’.

The PML [Q] chief said that the draft — signed with MMA was in Urdu language — whereas, the bill, presented for legislation was in English. ‘May be this has created a few ambiguities, which shall be removed in consultation with the author of the draft bill’, SM Zafar, an ex-Law Minister of Pakistan.

To a question, Shujaat said that the copies of the draft were distributed among MPs — well before it’s’ presentation and no one had raised any objection. ‘It is astonishing that soon after it’s appearance before the NA, a lot of objections have surfaced — even by MMA chief, who was on a visit abroad, when the agreement was signed.

MMA Standing Committee Stance

The Standing Chairman of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) says that the Constitutional Amendment Bill-17 presented in the National Assembly on Friday is not a package which was ratified after a consensus between government and MMA was reached, sources informed.

These views were expressed during debate over the bill in the national assembly.

NA adopts 17th Amendment

Earlier, the National Assembly on Friday amended the Constitution for inclusion of Legal Frame Work Order by unanimously adopting 17th amendment bill.

The Bill was presented by Minister of State for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Raza Hayat Hiraj. Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and parliamentary leaders from opposition parties were also present in the House.

The Bill

The Minister of State for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs the Bill sought amendment in the Constitution by bringing 17th amendment to make Legal Framework Order as part of it.

The Speaker National Assembly, Chaudary Amir Hussain asked the House for giving their consent on the Bill and later, it was accepted as majority of the MPs gave favoring vote for debate in the House.

Effect

While presenting the Bill, the Speaker said, it is expedient to amend the constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the purpose and this Act may be called the Constitution (Seventeenth Amendment) Act, 2003. It shall come into force at once.

The Bill proposed amendment of articles 41, 58, 112, 179, 195, 243, and 268 of the Constitution. While it also proposed to substitute the Articles of the Constitution including, 152A, and 270-AA.