ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Peoples Party plans to move a resolution in the Senate calling upon Yousaf Raza Gilani to continue as prime minister despite his recent conviction by the Supreme Court and subsequent calls by opposition parties for his resignation.
The country’s highest court found Prime Minister Gilani guilty of contempt of court on Thursday for not writing to authorities in Switzerland to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
The resolution, likely to be moved in the Upper House today (Monday), might be the first in a series of such moves to express solidarity with the embattled premier.
All provincial assemblies, except Punjab, might also follow the move in a show of solidarity with the premier, who appears to be struggling to save his job.
“We fully stand by the premier and we will prove it [today],” said Senate Deputy Chairman Sabir Baloch, while urging the opposition to respect the mandate of parliament. “Yousaf Raza Gilani is the Prime Minister of Pakistan and he will continue to hold his office,” he added, and hoped the opposition would follow parliamentary traditions.
Monday (today) is the first day of the new parliamentary year of Senate where a heated debate on the Supreme Court’s verdict is expected.
The largest opposition – the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz – has already announced it would continue to force the ruling PPP to nominate a new prime minister.
“Gilani is no more the prime minister of Pakistan or a member of parliament,” said PML-N Information Secretary Mushahidullah Khan. “We will resist against his (Gilani’s) presence in Senate if he gets entry today (April 30),” he added.
Senator Pervez Rashid of PML-N said his party members will plead Chairman Senate Nayyar Hussain Bukhari to bar Prime Minister Gilani’s entrance in the Upper House as, according to him, he is no longer a parliamentarian. “He is stranger to this House now,” said Rashid.
New parliamentary year
The 81st session of Senate will exercise new rules which will bind the ministers and parliamentary secretaries to ensure their presence in the House during questions and answers session. There will also be a question and answer session at least once in the session in which the prime minister will participate to answer lawmakers’ questions.
The House may take up three private members bills today, when PPP Senators Raza Rabbani will move for leave to introduce a bill to further amend the Pakistan Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1956. He may also move for leave to introduce a bill to further amend the Banking Companies Ordinance, 1962.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement Senator Abdul Haseeb may move for leave to introduce a Bill for the establishment of a Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan.
The House may also take up resolutions moved by PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar which state that the Senate may call upon the government to sign and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances.
The Senate may also take up a resolution moved by Awami National Party Senator Shahi Syed on effective steps to deweaponise Karachi in view of the prevailing law and order situation in the city.
Senator Muddassir Sehar may also move a resolution for the establishment of a Legal Aid Desks in Pakistan embassies/missions abroad, while ANP senators Mohammad Adeel and Zahid Khan may move a resolution for the government to abolish cess/tax on the transportation of essential commodities to the Federally Administered Tribal Agencies.
The House may also take up a resolution moved by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Senator Talha Mehmood seeking to waive off loans of earthquake victims.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 30th, 2012.
COMMENTS (15)
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It is very sad to know that PPP again making joke of the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan
Speaker, thereafter Election Commission, procedure is still remained,patience.
he will go but under the legal or constitutional procedure. why you are so hurry, speaker is competent authority will pass the order,we should all wait patience,,,,,,patience,you want more political crisis?????????
PPP has nö choice left but to fight back politically. Politics by unelected institutions has to be countered by politics. this is simply a fight between establishment and Demokratie institutions. Accepting Defekt is not a choice.
@Khalid Javed: the problem is with PMLN, if they respects mandate of PPP he is labelled as friendly opposition. if he gives tough time to government he is said to be "digging the grave of democracy once again". wht should he do? he cant topple the government by no confidence thats wht he knows well and is silent for 4 years. now if something happens to democracy media and other smaller oppositon party should be blamed
Que Sara Sara! "all the world is a stage, all the men & women are merely players" Pakistani Awam (the Nation) is only looking forward to have Employment, Natural resources (gas, petrol, cng, lpg) Electricity, Safety & Security, Economic stability, fall in inflation... No matter who is leading the Government! People will surely go for the person (whosoever) who is taking care of the Nation! Long Live Pakistan & SAVE PAKISTAN! Thank you! :-)
Coalition parters of PPP must rethink about siding with the Gov. they also have to contest in elections and its better for the country as well as for themselves to not support Gillani' Government
@Zaleem Singh: Are you being sarcastic? Otherwise Sigh ! just sigh !
Now the nation shall see the another drama/film created by the PPP and PML-N especially directed by convicted PM Yousuf Raza Gillani.
He is a real hero of Pakistan
He is a great leader.Nation need to understand him
He, his party Leader Specially and His Party itself is very good for the Pakistan
With all due respect Mister Prime Minister "NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW"
You'll see how nicely the prime minister gets into the senate and everything shall go as planned. He will never resign. And even he does, the new pm would be of ppp and won't ever write the letter, so how many times the contempt of court will occur? It will be like a deadlock,
These so-called champions of democracy are themselves digging the grave of democracy once again.
If these crooks continue to undermine the sanctity of the country key institutions including Supreme Court, security agencies etc. by passing such meaningless resolutions, then that day is not far when all these houses whether Upper House or Lower House will crumble down like house of cards.