PA resolution hails passage of 26th Constitutional Amendment

The Sindh Assembly on Wednesday passed through a majority vote a resolution in favour of the newly passed 26th Constitutional Amendment while terming it a step ahead in empowering the provinces and providing due relief to the people through the judiciary.

The resolution was moved by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in the house.

“This house recognizes and resolves that the 26th Constitutional Amendment is a much-needed step towards establishing equality between provinces and providing judicial relief to the people of Pakistan. Acknowledges the relentless efforts of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in ensuring the passage of the amendment and appreciates that in doing so he has maintained the supremacy of the Constitution as envisioned by his grandfather Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and fulfilled the vision of his mother Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto as enshrined in the Charter of Democracy. Believes that the 26th amendment is a landmark achievement empowering provinces, after the 18th Constitutional amendment spearheaded by President Asif Ali Zardari. Appreciates all political forces that came together to achieve consensus and pass this historic amendment.”

Speaking on his resolution, the CM recalled that the consensus passage of the Constitution of 1973 had been a historic achievement of the Pakistan Peoples Party and its founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

He said that similarly, the parliament had passed the 26th constitutional amendment owing to the tireless efforts of the PPP and its chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

He opined that the new constitutional amendment would ensure speedy justice to the litigants while the judiciary would also be in a position to discharge its obligations independently. Prior to the passage of the constitutional amendment, judges allocated more time to adjudicating cases generating news headlines, he said.

He told the house that Bilawal had always advocated the cause of setting up constitutional courts in the country.

The CM said the new amendment would ensure that there would be equality among the provinces. He said the constitutional benches would be formed as a result of the constitutional amendment as the litigants wouldn’t have to wait for years to get judgements in their cases. He said a parliamentary committee comprising public representatives would appoint the new chief justice of Pakistan.

Senior Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon lamented that the judiciary in the past had usurped democratic dispensation in the country. He recalled that certain judges in the past had sent packing the democratically elected prime ministers.

He claimed that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had offered a lifetime extension in the service of the then army chief when its rule was about to end in the country. He alleged that Imran Khan had supported “unconstitutional acts” of former chief justice Saqib Nisar.

He said the PTI founder was being penalised because of his past misdeeds. He predicted that people in the country would soon witness the eventual downfall of the politics of the PTI.

The leader of the opposition belonging to the Muttahida Quami Movement, Ali Khurshidi, lent support to the resolution moved in the house. He viewed that the new constitutional amendment had been passed by the parliament as a result of good politics in the country.

He opined that the democratic dispensation and parliament would be strengthened after the passage of the new amendment. He said the chairman of the public accounts committee in the Sindh Assembly should be the opposition leader as per the provision of the Charter of Democracy.

Meanwhile, the house unanimously passed a resolution to pay tribute to PPP leader Nusrat Bhutto on her death anniversary. The resolution was moved by the PPP MPA Nida Khuhro. The house also passed a bill to amend the rules of procedures of the house to allow the advisers to the Sindh chief minister to take part in the proceedings of the assembly. The bill was moved by Law and Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar.