Oath faux pas: Three-member body to probe ‘clerical mistake’

PML-N president Nawaz Sharif asks committee to submit report within 24 hours

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif on Saturday formed a three-member committee to probe the issue of alteration in the Prophethood Declaration Clause in Electoral Reforms Bill 2017 and submit a report within 24 hours.

Led by Leader of the House in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq, the team comprises Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Federal Minister Mushahidullah Khan.



The Electoral Reforms Bill draft bore a changed clause concerning the Prophethood (PBUH) declaration when it was tabled in the National Assembly earlier this month to which the opposition objected and Speaker Ayaz Sadiq declared it a ‘clerical mistake’.

During a workers’ convention last week, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif suggested the elder Sharif to kick the person responsible for the blunder out of the federal cabinet. This opinion is also shared by several other federal and provincial leaders of the PML-N.



On Saturday, Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid, whose ministry is responsible for the alteration in the Prophethood (PBUH) oath, met the Punjab CM to discuss details of the probe, according to provincial minister Zaeem Qadri.

However, sources in the Punjab government were of a different view. They said Hamid was here to persuade the CM to tone down his demand of kicking out the person responsible for the mistake, adding that the federal minister wanted to pacify the issue before it went out of hand.

It is important to mention that Senator Pervaiz Rashid had said on Thursday that the matter regarding the alteration would only be discussed after the return of Sharif to Pakistan from London.

Despite repeated attempts, Punjab government spokesperson Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan and Law Minister Rana Sanaullah were not available for comments.

According to an official statement from the Punjab government, the CM thanked the law minister for restoring the oath of the finality of Prophethood (PBUH) to its original shape during the meeting.

The CM said the PML-N holds unshakeable belief in the finality of Prophethood (PBUH).