NA passes bill limiting MPs disqualification to five years

LONDON/DUBAI/ISLAMABAD: The last two days witnessed important happenings at Pakistan’s legislative and political scene when PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif reached Dubai from London on Saturday and the National Assembly amended a law on Sunday, limiting the disqualification of a parliamentarian to a maximum of five years.

Later in the Sunday evening, the lower house of parliament consigned the bill for amending the Election Act-2017 to the president. It has reduced the term of any lawmaker’s lifetime disqualification under Article 62(1)(f) to five years. As the assent of the president is given on it, former three-time prime minister and PMLN Quaid Nawaz Sharif would be eligible to contest any election in the country. He was disqualified about six years ago in a disputed case.

Leader of the newly-formed Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, Jehangir Khan Tareen, who too was disqualified by the same court, will also benefit from the law. It is likely that the bill would become a part of the book on Monday (today).

The bill reads: “Notwithstanding anything contained in any other provisions of this Act, any other law for the time being in force and judgment, orders or decree of any court, including the Supreme Court and a High Court, the disqualification of a person to be elected, chosen, or to remain as a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) of 9 Provincial Assembly under Paragraph (1) of clause (1) of Article 62 of the Constitution shall be for a period not exceeding five years from the declaration by the court of law in that regard and such declaration shall be subject to the due process of law.”

The house also approved another amendment to the law, allowing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce the date for polls unilaterally, without the president’s approval. “...the Commission shall by notification in the official gazette announce the date or dates, as the case may be, of the general elections,” the bill reads, amending Section 58 of the Election Act.

The bill also allows the election commission to make changes to the election programme after announcing the date, but it would have to do it “in writing”.

Sources told The News on Sunday that as soon the bill was adopted, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar called Nawaz Sharif and congratulated him on the development. He piloted and moved the bill in the National Assembly immediately after the national budget was passed.

Earlier, the bill seeking amendment to Section 232 (Qualifications and Disqualifications) of the Election Act, 2017, which is also related to Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution, had been presented in the Senate by independent Senator Dilawar, Senator Kahuda Babar, Senator Danesh Kumar, and Ahmed Umer Ahmedzai. Senator Dilawar had stated that the country’s three-time prime minister and PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif and Jahangir Khan Tareen fell victim to this law.

In 2017, the SC had disqualified Nawaz Sharif and made it mandatory for lawmakers to meet conditions under articles 62 and 63. The Supreme Court’s short order had read, “As a consequence, it is declared that any person who suffers from lack of qualification under Article 62 or disqualification under Article 63 of the Constitution is debarred from holding the position of ‘Party head’ by whatever name called and prohibited from exercising any of the powers provided in the Article 63-A of the Constitution, as ‘Party Head’ or any other prohibition shall commence from the date of disqualification and continue till such time that the lack of qualification/disqualification of such person continues in terms of provisions of Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.”

The amendment that was received by the Parliamentary Affairs ministry soon after it was passed by the lower house of parliament on Sunday evening, was consigned to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for transmitting it to the president along with his covering letter, consisting of his advice to the president for his assent, the sources said.

Interestingly, as President Arif Alvi left for Jeddah on Sunday to perform Haj, the bill was adopted by the National Assembly unanimously. He had been hindering legislation by the incumbent government during the last 14 months and now the bill would be assented by acting president Sadiq Sanjrani, who is the chairman Senate, the sources added.

The Cabinet Division issued a notification of his appointment as the acting president of Pakistan. The family members of Dr Arif Alvi are also accompanying him. Meanwhile, PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif and party’s Vice-President Maryam Nawaz met members of the Dubai Royal family after reaching the Middle Eastern country a day earlier. Nawaz had reached Dubai from London on Saturday afternoon while Maryam arrived with her son Junaid Safdar and other members of the family at the same time from Lahore. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in London currently, and he will return to Pakistan shortly.

Nawaz, the three-time prime minister, is staying at the Emirates Hill residence of Ishaq Dar’s son and Sharif’s son-in-law Ali Dar, who is married to Asma Sharif, the younger sister of Maryam.

Video obtained by Geo News showed Nawaz and Maryam leaving Ali Dar’s residence in an entourage of cars, with the protocol from the Dubai authorities. The PMLN supremo travelled from London with Hussain Nawaz, Asma and Dr Adnan Khan.

Nawaz was received at the airport by the Dubai government protocol and his security protocol has been arranged by the government authorities. Sources confirmed that Nawaz and Maryam attended six meetings on Sunday. One of the meetings was with leading businessmen.

According to sources, Nawaz held several important meetings in Dubai where the roadmap for his return was discussed in detail, including Pakistan’s economic and political future. The PMLN sources said the former premier would be returning to Pakistan in near future.

Sources revealed that one meeting held on Sunday afternoon had the longest discussion, but the attendees did not disclose any details.

In particular, discussions focused on resolving legal entanglements that could be preventing Nawaz’s return home, with the expectation expressed that a solution would be found soon.

On the other hand, there are reports that the PMLN supremo would spend Eidul Azha with his family in Dubai. Moreover, he is scheduled to have special meetings with the Saudi royal family in Saudi Arabia in the first week of July.

Nawaz had confirmed last Friday he would be visiting the UAE and Saudi Arabia for about three weeks.

It is being speculated that in the coming weeks, several political leaders from Pakistan would visit Dubai to meet the former prime minister. PMLN sources said a party delegation was expected to meet Nawaz Sharif during Eidul Azha.

Separately, former president and President Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman PPP and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari left for Dubai on Sunday evening separately, and they were expected to stay there till Eid.

Zardari left for Dubai on a special flight while Bilawal, along with his sister Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, separately went later on. Sources say Asif Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto might meet Nawaz Sharif in Dubai, though no official word from the PPP or PMLN was divulged.