Zardari expects National Assembly to consider reforms package before end June

WASHINGTON : Pakistan Peoples Party leader Asif Ali Zardari Thursday said he expects the National Assembly to consider the judicial reforms package before the end of June and was also confident of securing support of all elements of governing coalition for the major initiative aimed at restoring parliamentary powers.
“We expect that the National Assembly will consider and enact this comprehensive judicial reform package before the end of June. This constitutional package aims to restore the key elements of the 1973 Constitution that was the basis of parliamentary democracy in our country before critical powers were seized by various autocratic presidents at the expense of the People’s House,” he told The Washington Times.
The PPP Co-chairman said the power to dismiss governments was “never meant to be in the hands of the president, but rather the tenure of governments would be limited by elections or motions of no confidence.”
“Democracy and dictatorship do not mix. All powers will revert back to the Parliament as was the intent of the constitution. All elements of the governing coalition will enthusiastically support these reforms.”
On the state of governing coalition, he said the coalition has some internal dissonance, “but that is the nature of democratic debate.”
“There is much that the parties in the Pakistan Democratic Front agree on and have built a consensus around, and there are other elements that have not yet been reconciled. But the coalition has not fractured.” The Nawaz (Sharif) wing of the PML, he elaborated, has not joined the opposition and still votes with the government.
The PPP has not withdrawn its ministers from the Punjab government, which is led by the PML-N, he added.
“Although they have temporarily withdrawn from some cabinet positions, we consider this a short-term problem and we have not filled the open cabinet positions. The PML-N is still in fundamental agreement with the major initiatives and thrusts of the government. I think people have also misunderstood the level of disagreement on the judges’ issue.”
Both the PPP and the PML-N want the restoration of the judiciary as it existed before emergency rule was imposed by President Musharraf, Zardari stated.
“The PML-N wants it done by decree, and my party wants to accomplish the restoration as part of a significant judicial reform legislative package that will totally modernize and liberalize the structure of civil society in Pakistan.”