New accountability bill: Government blames opposition for delay
ANP unwilling to vote as its leaders were not taken into confidence.
ISLAMABAD:
A new and controversial accountability bill has been deferred by the government, which blames the opposition for the delay – even while it allies themselves appear disgruntled over the proposed legislation.
The bill, after being tabled in the National Assembly, was sent to the standing committee on law and justice, which approved it with a majority – but it now appears to be on the backburner. The current session of the lower house is scheduled to end on November 20, and according to sources in the NA Secretariat, the bill is not on the agenda.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is determined to lay the blame at the doorstep of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and insists that many of the opposition’s concerns have actually been addressed in amendments to the National Accountability Commission Bill 2012. A few exceptions include the demand for a sitting Supreme Court judge to be appointed chairperson of the commission.
“We have accepted almost every proposal and suggestion of the opposition in a bid to evolve a consensus,” said Abdul Ghafoor Chaudhry from the PPP while talking to The Express Tribune. Chaudhry is a member of the NA standing committee on law and justice.
Responding to a question about who was responsible for the delay in repealing the Musharraf-era accountability law, he said, “It is the opposition.” He added that the bill could have been tabled in the house for approval after the NA committee’s go-ahead, and it could have sailed through with a majority of votes, but the ruling party wanted a consensus on such a major piece of legislation.
While commenting on the appointment of an SC judge as a chairperson, he said “How can we insist if the judiciary itself is not ready to lend its officers?” referring to the judiciary’s agreement to lend staff to the election commission only after much deliberation.
Coalition tensions
But while the PPP claimed that the opposition was the main obstacle in passing the bill, sources told The Express Tribune that the government had deferred the bill out of fear that some of its allies might not support it.
The Awami National Party (ANP) is one member of the ruling coalition which has developed serious differences with the ruling PPP over several issues after the promulgation of the new local government system for Sindh.
“We are coalition partners but the government has not taken us into confidence with regard to the new accountability bill,” said Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel from the ANP. He added that his party had taken a principled stand and that it would only support the government on those issues regarding which it is taken into confidence. “Though there had been assurances from the president that we would be taken into confidence, it has not actually happened,” he added.
Responding to a question about whether the ANP would support the bill if it is tabled in the lower house, he said “We will see what to do at that time,” but did not confirm his party’s support.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2012.
A new and controversial accountability bill has been deferred by the government, which blames the opposition for the delay – even while it allies themselves appear disgruntled over the proposed legislation.
The bill, after being tabled in the National Assembly, was sent to the standing committee on law and justice, which approved it with a majority – but it now appears to be on the backburner. The current session of the lower house is scheduled to end on November 20, and according to sources in the NA Secretariat, the bill is not on the agenda.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is determined to lay the blame at the doorstep of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and insists that many of the opposition’s concerns have actually been addressed in amendments to the National Accountability Commission Bill 2012. A few exceptions include the demand for a sitting Supreme Court judge to be appointed chairperson of the commission.
“We have accepted almost every proposal and suggestion of the opposition in a bid to evolve a consensus,” said Abdul Ghafoor Chaudhry from the PPP while talking to The Express Tribune. Chaudhry is a member of the NA standing committee on law and justice.
Responding to a question about who was responsible for the delay in repealing the Musharraf-era accountability law, he said, “It is the opposition.” He added that the bill could have been tabled in the house for approval after the NA committee’s go-ahead, and it could have sailed through with a majority of votes, but the ruling party wanted a consensus on such a major piece of legislation.
While commenting on the appointment of an SC judge as a chairperson, he said “How can we insist if the judiciary itself is not ready to lend its officers?” referring to the judiciary’s agreement to lend staff to the election commission only after much deliberation.
Coalition tensions
But while the PPP claimed that the opposition was the main obstacle in passing the bill, sources told The Express Tribune that the government had deferred the bill out of fear that some of its allies might not support it.
The Awami National Party (ANP) is one member of the ruling coalition which has developed serious differences with the ruling PPP over several issues after the promulgation of the new local government system for Sindh.
“We are coalition partners but the government has not taken us into confidence with regard to the new accountability bill,” said Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel from the ANP. He added that his party had taken a principled stand and that it would only support the government on those issues regarding which it is taken into confidence. “Though there had been assurances from the president that we would be taken into confidence, it has not actually happened,” he added.
Responding to a question about whether the ANP would support the bill if it is tabled in the lower house, he said “We will see what to do at that time,” but did not confirm his party’s support.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2012.