Muhammad Asad
ISLAMABAD: Parliament is the Supreme Body under Constitution having sole right to legislate, whereas Supreme Court has the power to interpret the legislation under the provisions of constitution. It was said by the Special Advisor to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Babar Awan flanked by Minister for State for Information and Broadcasting Mr. Furrakh Habib during a news conference in Islamabad on Friday.
According to Dr. Awan, overseas Pakistanis are the nation’s asset and government is committed to give them right to vote. According to him, government had brought an ordinance for election reforms during recent months and later it moved a bill at the floor of the house.
According to Babar Awan, Senate Committee on Election Reforms has representation of all political parties and all parties have right to offer their suggestions and deliberate on the bill.
While referring to PML-N comments regarding overseas Pakistanis right to vote, Awan said the people who think that the overseas Pakistanis do not have an idea regarding problems of the people living in Pakistan then how the people sitting abroad (PML-N leadership) can understand local issues and dictate on the national affairs while sitting there.
According to Babar Awan government is ready to go through the reservations of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding Election Reform Bill if any and will examine those in free and fair manner.
While responding to a media query regarding letter written by Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif, Babar Awan said that government has no objection of their visit to ECP and ECP must call all political parties regarding consultation on the matter. Minister for State on Information and Broadcasting Mr. Furrakh Habib said that government is working to bring transparency in the election process of the country therefore opposition parties must play their constructive role in these national efforts. He was in the view that transparent elections are the foundational stone of the strong and sustainable democracy.
