Govt bid to ‘rule through ordinances’ infuriates opposition – Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The opposition on Tuesday organized a Senate strike to protest what it described as the government's attempts to govern by ordinances.

The tensions began when four ordinances promulgated by President Dr. Arif Alvi in ​​May and July were placed in the house by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Azam Swati, towards the end of the process, amid slogans of "shame, shame" in The opposition banks.

Interestingly, the most controversial ordinance on the cessation of gas infrastructure development (GIDC) recently enacted was not among the ordinances presented to the house.

The leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Raja Zafarul Haq, regretted that the parliament was annulled and that ordinances were promulgated without fulfilling the preconditions enshrined in article 89 of the Constitution.

He said the law did not allow a shortcut in any way, which made it clear that an ordinance could not be enacted when none of Parliament's chambers were in session. "It's a fraud with the Constitution," he said.

The Senate chamber leader accuses the opposition of abusing his numerical strength

"The four ordinances established in the Senate today are proof that the government wants to avoid most of the opposition in the House and legislate only through presidential ordinances," said the parliamentary leader of the Popular Party of Pakistan (PPP) in the Senate Sherry Rehman.

“The government has now eluded parliament 15 times through these presidential ordinances only within a year and yet they blame parliament for not being able to legislate. Are we here just to seal these ordinances that were not even introduced by the worst dictators?

Ms. Rehman said that the four ordinances had been issued in the Senate on the day it was extended to ensure that the house could not pass a resolution that disapproved. She said that notices had already been sent to the Senate Secretariat for resolutions that disapproved of the four ordinances. She said that although a three-day notice was required for it according to the rules, the president had the powers to dispense with the requirements of the rules.

Raza Rabbani of the PPP said attempts were being made under a preconceived plan to make parliament redundant.

He said that Article 89 (1) of the Constitution says: "The President may, except when the Senate or the National Assembly is in session, if he is satisfied with the circumstances that make it necessary to take immediate measures, make and promulgate an Ordinance according to circumstances". It may require."

Rabbani said the president does not do it mechanically upon receiving a summary, but he must be satisfied. "Satisfaction means that you have to apply your mind if there are circumstances that justify the enactment of an ordinance."

He said the president recently violated the Constitution by issuing an unconstitutional notification for the appointment of two members of the Electoral Commission of Pakistan.

He also referred to a decision of the presidency under which an ordinance must be issued on the first day of the house session held after the promulgation of said ordinance in which official government affairs will be processed, and it is required that the government to provide the reasons that forced the president to promulgate the ordinance. He said the house can approve the delay for a maximum of 10 days.

"We do not allow the PMDC ordinance in parliament, but doctors informed us today that operations continued in the same manner as before," he said.

Rabbani said the GIDC Ordinance that renounces a colossal amount of 210 billion rupees to capitalists and foreign companies was enacted in violation of the Constitution. “This is the biggest dacoity in history. This order does not meet the requirements of the Constitution, ”he said.

He said the president knew that the Senate would meet the next day when he enacted the ordinance as he had called it.

Mushtaq Ahmad of Jamat-i-Islami also criticized the PTI government for the promulgation of ordinances.

However, the Senate Chamber leader, Syed Shibli Faraz, held the opposition accountable for what had been done. He said the opposition was opposed to legislation aimed at serving the country for political scoring. He said that even a bill that had been supported by opposition members at the committee level was opposed when it came to the house. "This is happening because the opposition is misusing its numerical force in the House," he said.

Shortly after these comments, Raja Zafarul Haq announced organizing a strike.

The quorum was signaled after the opposition left. The quorum bells rang for five minutes but they didn't help. The house was extended sinusoidal.

Posted in Dawn, September 4, 2019