PPP submits Army Act bill amendments to NA Sectt Bilawal says JUI-F,

ISLAMABAD: The Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, on Monday said his party had submitted its amendments to the Army Act bill in the National Assembly Secretariat and also contacted other opposition parties for fine-tuning it.

“We have contacted the PML-N and they have told us that they are examining it and will reply on it, while contacts will also be made with the JUI-F and other parties in the Senate to engage with them and to get their support for our amendments,” he said while talking to newsmen outside the Parliament House.

Bilawal said the PPP had proposed [in the amendments] that the prime minister should appear before the Parliamentary Committee on National Security to record reasons for extension before going ahead with his decision. He said the rules and regulations of the Army Act were still kept secret and wanted that the government should share them with Parliament, as ‘we are legislating a bill that talks about rules and regulations.’

He said if the parliamentary procedure was not adopted for legislation then the issue may be raised due to the government haste. “We want a positive engagement, which would be fully conditioned by the existing parliamentary norms and procedures,” he continued.

“When Parliament is not given importance, when the prime minister does not come to Parliament, when the Speaker does not follow rules, then we say it is an attack on Parliament and democracy. In this way, when the procedure and democratic process of Parliament is not obtained, then this will create difficulties for the government,” he said.

Bilawal said the Supreme Court in its order had asked for legislation on Clause 3 of Article 243. He said the proposed amendments to the Army Act did not correlate to the parameters set by the apex court, hence to improve the Act, the party was looking forward to bring necessary amendments for which all political stakeholders would be consulted.

“We are making efforts to activate Parliament, which has been dormant for the last one and a half year,” he said, adding that the current parliament was the weakest in the parliamentary history.

Replying to a question, the PPP chairman said, “I can say to my workers and jiyalas that our previous generations had sacrificed for them and our future ones will be ready to do so too.”

“They worked hard and struggled for democracy and we are trying for the Parliament to function because of them so that not only PPP's, but also all of Pakistan's pro-democratic people can be given a hope, as the PPP has always been one for them,” he said. Bilawal said the PPP wanted that the government should not repeat such mistakes, which it had committed while notifying the extension.

Replying to a question, he said no contact had been made with Maryam Nawaz Sharif since her release on bail. “We have interacted with Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in the lobby and discussed our amendments with him and are waiting for their reply on it,” he said.

Commenting on the situation in the Middle East and region, Bilawal said it was a dangerous development and will have serious consequences. “We have not ignored its consequences for Pakistan. We cannot afford another war close to our borders after Afghanistan,” he added.

He said it was unfortunate that the foreign minister came in Parliament after so many days to speak on this important incident. “I believe Pakistan should play its role which Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had played for the Muslim Ummah and countries through the OIC or in another manner.