Post 20th amendment: PM advises president to restore Shaikh, Dr Asim as ministers
The two senators were temporarily suspended from office by the SC until passage of the amendment.
ISLAMABAD:
Senators Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Asim Hussain are likely to resume office as federal ministers for finance and petroleum respectively.
The two senators, both from the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party, were stripped of their parliamentary membership by the Supreme Court on February 6. Subsequently, Shaikh was notified as adviser to the prime minister on finance while Hussain was named the as the prime minister’s special assistant, with the same privileges that they enjoyed as federal ministers.
The court had struck down their memberships as they were elected through by-polls after the 18th amendment and had said that they will remain suspended until the 20th amendment is passed.
On Friday, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani advised President Asif Ali Zardari to de-notify their new appointments and restore them to their previous portfolios as the 20th amendment had been passed and their elections were now constitutional.
Their adviser and assistant statuses will discontinue from February 28, the date the 20th amendment was passed by parliament.
Senators Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Asim Hussain are likely to resume office as federal ministers for finance and petroleum respectively.
The two senators, both from the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party, were stripped of their parliamentary membership by the Supreme Court on February 6. Subsequently, Shaikh was notified as adviser to the prime minister on finance while Hussain was named the as the prime minister’s special assistant, with the same privileges that they enjoyed as federal ministers.
The court had struck down their memberships as they were elected through by-polls after the 18th amendment and had said that they will remain suspended until the 20th amendment is passed.
On Friday, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani advised President Asif Ali Zardari to de-notify their new appointments and restore them to their previous portfolios as the 20th amendment had been passed and their elections were now constitutional.
Their adviser and assistant statuses will discontinue from February 28, the date the 20th amendment was passed by parliament.