ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly session on Monday descended into chaos, with heated exchanges among lawmakers forcing the session to be adjourned until 11am tomorrow.
PPP leader and former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf criticized the PTI government, questioning, “Where are the two million jobs? Where are the five million homes?” He also condemned former PTI leaders for undermining democracy and recalled the hardships faced by President Asif Ali Zardari during his imprisonment.
Ashraf emphasized that the 27th Constitutional Amendment, once passed, would benefit all presidents and strengthen Pakistan’s defence.
Former PTI lawmaker Sher Afzal Marwat urged for more comprehensive discussions on the amendment, invoking Benazir Bhutto’s legacy and noting that resolutions regarding her assassination should have been passed unanimously.
Ex-NA Speaker Asad Qaiser raised concerns over procedural handling of past amendments, questioning, “If the head of the constitutional court is appointed by the prime minister, how will justice be ensured?”
JUI-F lawmaker Aliya Kamran highlighted that members were not being consulted, pointing out that 48 out of 208 constitutional articles were being amended, raising procedural concerns.
Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to national security, assuring full support to the armed forces and stressing international backing.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill passed with 64 votes despite opposition walkouts and protest actions, including tearing copies of the Bill. The amendment seeks to restructure military and judicial powers, curbing certain Supreme Court authorities.
In a separate development, the National Assembly passed a resolution to officially declare former Prime Minister Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto a national martyr. The resolution recognized Bhutto’s pivotal contributions to Pakistan’s political landscape, democracy, social progress, and nuclear strength. It also highlighted his efforts toward national unity, empowering citizens, strengthening democratic institutions, and maintaining an independent foreign policy. Bhutto, founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party, was executed on April 4, 1979, in a trial widely criticized both nationally and internationally.
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