PPP defends oath for KP reserved seats

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party Wednesday defended the administration of oath for reserved seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly by Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and said the Constitution clearly outlines the oath-taking process.

“The Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court acted constitutionally when he directed the governor to administer the oath,” explained Senator Shahadat Awan at a press conference along with PPP Senators Saleem Mandviwala and Senator Palwasha Khan here at the party’s Central Secretariat on Wednesday.

Responding to a question on the 18th Constitutional Amendment, Senator Shahadat Awan stated, that two major constitutional events took place with complete national consensus — the 1973 Constitution and the 18th Amendment. “Any attempt to alter the 18th Amendment is out of the question,” he stressed. Commenting on the events of 9th May 2023, Senator Palwasha Khan described them as “shameful” and “an attempt to incite mutiny within the military”. She reiterated that the Pakistan Peoples Party and its leadership unequivocally condemned the events. She said there was concern that some individuals involved in the failed conspiracy have fled the country. “They must be brought back. While no innocent person should be punished, no guilty party should go unpunished,” she asserted.”

Senator Palwasha Khan also highlighted that President Asif Ali Zardari is the only civilian president to serve a second term in office, expressing full confidence that he will successfully complete his tenure.

Senator Saleem Mandviwala announced that the Senate had unanimously passed the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals (Amendment) Act, 2022, which comes into immediate effect. He emphasized that this Act is designed to empower journalists and media professionals to resolve their issues without the need to approach courts, police or legislators. He said, “This is a facilitative — not a regulatory — law for the journalist community. The Pakistan Peoples Party legislates for the welfare of people.”

He confirmed that mechanisms would be put in place to ensure effective implementation of the journalists’ protection law. “This legislation addresses a wide range of challenges faced by journalists, and if improvements are needed, we are open to amending it further,” he added.

Mandviwala further noted that the Senate had also unanimously passed the National Institute of Health (Re-organization) (Amendment) Act, 2024. He underscored the significance of this Bill, highlighting Pakistan’s lack of a comprehensive cancer patient registry. “Cancer is a deadly disease, and without data, we cannot understand its true burden. This registry will identify the types of cancer prevalent in different regions and support a national action plan for cancer prevention and treatment.” Addressing questions about cancer patient registration, Senator Mandviwala recalled the inter-provincial cooperation during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Provinces can adopt this legislation as well. The cancer registry will help relevant departments analyze accurate and timely data,” he said.