PPP withdrew proposal ‘to avert clash among institutions’
Naveed Qamar says bringing judges, generals under purview of NAC not manageable
Tagged as ‘friendly’ opposition during the first two years of the current government, the PPP has recently started re-asserting itself in the National Assembly by bringing up important issues on the floor. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has said that the “current relations among the institutions” led them to withdraw their proposal of bringing judges and generals under the purview of the proposed National Accountability Commission (NAC) that would replace the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
“Any step [to bring judges and generals under the ambit of the new bill] at this time can be disconcerting,” said Naveed Qamar, PPP’s parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, told reporters on Tuesday. Other institutions “have their own way of accountability”, he added.
When asked whether the PPP withdrew the proposal under duress, he said his party’s decision to back off from the clause concerning accountability of judges and generals was because of the current relations among the institutions.
“We should also look at the prevailing situation and go for the options that are manageable,” Qamar said. He also called the matter of anti-corruption a provincial subject.
The 17th meeting of the parliamentary committee on National Accountability Commission Bill, 2017 was held at parliament where the PPP and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had different viewpoints over the jurisdiction of such a commission.
On November 1, in the previous meeting of the committee, the PPP withdrew its proposal to bring judges and general under the ambit of the new commission. The proposal was floated by PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar, a member of the committee.
Babar’s proposal had sowed seeds of discord among political parties, some of whom like the PTI, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) even threatened to reject the draft of the bill.
Senator Babar had not attended the last three meetings of the committee.
Answering why the PTI excluded judges and generals from the proposed accountability process, senior party leader Shireen Mazari replied that the PTI supported accountability across the country, adding, “There is no point in selective accountability.”
When asked why party chief Imran Khan threatened on Sunday to launch a third sit-in in Islamabad, Mazari said it was to ensure that the corrupt could not get away with any wrongdoings. She said that PTI’s recommendations were also being discussed in the committee, but due to urgency the huddle could not go further.
Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Ahmed said the definition of ‘holder of public office’ was also discussed in the meeting which would meet again on November 9.
“We are trying to iron out differences on the issues and concerns the parties have,” he said, adding that they were also discussing the recommendations of the PTI clause-wise.
In its 13 amendments, the PTI has sought to define the term ‘holder of public office’. It said the term includes everyone from chairman of a municipal corporation to the president of Pakistan, except “a person who is a member of any of the armed forces of Pakistan”.
The party also sought amendment to the procedure of appointment of NAB chairman, suggesting the accountability boss should be appointed by president in consultation with chief justice and two senior most judges of the Supreme Court.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has said that the “current relations among the institutions” led them to withdraw their proposal of bringing judges and generals under the purview of the proposed National Accountability Commission (NAC) that would replace the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
“Any step [to bring judges and generals under the ambit of the new bill] at this time can be disconcerting,” said Naveed Qamar, PPP’s parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, told reporters on Tuesday. Other institutions “have their own way of accountability”, he added.
When asked whether the PPP withdrew the proposal under duress, he said his party’s decision to back off from the clause concerning accountability of judges and generals was because of the current relations among the institutions.
“We should also look at the prevailing situation and go for the options that are manageable,” Qamar said. He also called the matter of anti-corruption a provincial subject.
PPP gives up on accountability of judges and generals
The 17th meeting of the parliamentary committee on National Accountability Commission Bill, 2017 was held at parliament where the PPP and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had different viewpoints over the jurisdiction of such a commission.
On November 1, in the previous meeting of the committee, the PPP withdrew its proposal to bring judges and general under the ambit of the new commission. The proposal was floated by PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar, a member of the committee.
Babar’s proposal had sowed seeds of discord among political parties, some of whom like the PTI, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) even threatened to reject the draft of the bill.
Senator Babar had not attended the last three meetings of the committee.
Answering why the PTI excluded judges and generals from the proposed accountability process, senior party leader Shireen Mazari replied that the PTI supported accountability across the country, adding, “There is no point in selective accountability.”
When asked why party chief Imran Khan threatened on Sunday to launch a third sit-in in Islamabad, Mazari said it was to ensure that the corrupt could not get away with any wrongdoings. She said that PTI’s recommendations were also being discussed in the committee, but due to urgency the huddle could not go further.
Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Ahmed said the definition of ‘holder of public office’ was also discussed in the meeting which would meet again on November 9.
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“We are trying to iron out differences on the issues and concerns the parties have,” he said, adding that they were also discussing the recommendations of the PTI clause-wise.
In its 13 amendments, the PTI has sought to define the term ‘holder of public office’. It said the term includes everyone from chairman of a municipal corporation to the president of Pakistan, except “a person who is a member of any of the armed forces of Pakistan”.
The party also sought amendment to the procedure of appointment of NAB chairman, suggesting the accountability boss should be appointed by president in consultation with chief justice and two senior most judges of the Supreme Court.