F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: A joint session of parliament on Wednesday approved amendments to Election Act 2017, granting additional powers to the caretaker government to take important decisions on the economy and engage with international institutions.
The development came after the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) successfully persuaded its allies in the Centre to approve a bill granting additional powers to the caretaker setup, sources told Geo News.
Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms meeting, held with PML-N’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in the chair, where Article 230 — which relates to the functions of a caretaker government — came under discussion.
The sources also said that under the proposed bill, the caretaker government was given “unbridled powers”, which the allied parties, as well as the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), opposed and the legislation was deferred in the joint session a day earlier.
After the discussion today, the PML-N agreed to make minor changes in the bill that would allow the interim government to only engage with bilateral donors and multilateral institutions.
Under the new changes, the caretaker regime is given the powers under clause 2A of Section 230, the sources further said, adding that the setup will not have powers to enter into new agreements.
The sources went on to say that the caretaker setup “can use its powers in ongoing programmes”.
Before the electoral reforms bill was laid in the house, PTI Senator Ali Zafar reiterated his demand that the house reject the said clause as it was unsustainable.
“If you do not reject it, then the Supreme Court will reject it,” PTI’s Zafar told the parliament.
The PTI leader said the “dilution” made to the bill was not enough as it was “unconstitutional and illegal”.
Courtesy: (Geonews)
