Pakistan National Assembly on 8 April passed the historic 18th Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2010 by two-thirds majority, to restore the 1973 Constitution to its original form and strengthen institutions. The house passed the bill containing 102 clauses, while rejecting a few amendments regarding concurrent list, renaming the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), intra-party elections and women seats in the house and within parties, proposed by a few members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Qaid-e-Azam (PML-Q).
Strengthening Federation and Democracy
The passage of the 18th Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2010 would strengthen the Federation and democracy. The bill would serve as a landmark in the constitutional history of the country and the people would long remember this achievement of their elected representatives.
The Federal Cabinet carried one point agenda and later the bill was placed before the both Houses of the Parliament by the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms.
Unique Legislation
Explaining the salient features of the bill, Raza Rabbani, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reform, said that it was a unique piece of legislation in many ways. The most important feature is that an incumbent President himself has given away his powers to the Parliament and the people of Pakistan. Moreover, the bill will seek to repeal Legal Framework Order (LFO) as well as 17th Amendment that were the symbols of dictatorial regime.
This legislation has enjoyed maximum consensus of political parties on the issue of provincial autonomy. The Cabinet that the Federal Government will set up a committee to oversee the implementation and provide guidance in framing the rules that will be required for implementation of the provisions of the bill.
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