ISLAMABAD: In a landmark development, the parliamentary committee on constitutional reforms, headed by Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, has finished its task of evolving a consensus on amendments to the Constitution and the homework for the 18th Amendment to the Constitution has been completed. Now the committee will start studying proposals from Thursday to give them a final shape before tabling them in the National Assembly by Monday.
The committee held a closed-door meeting at the Parliament House here on Wednesday. It has completed its task except for one issue, that of renaming the NWFP which is now between the PML-N and the ANP. According to sources, a meeting between Mian Nawaz Sharif and Asfandyar Wali is expected by Thursday or Friday.
The sources said the PML-N and the ANP had agreed on the proposed name of “Pukhtoonkhwa-Abaseen” and the formal announcement is likely to be made in a joint meeting between Nawaz Sharif and Asfandyar Wali Khan.
Once they come out with a consensus, the proposals would be forwarded to National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, who had formed the 27-member parliamentary committee.
The committee has proposed to undo all dictatorial amendments, restoring the powers of the prime minister grabbed by the president. Thus, the powers of the prime minister will be the same as envisaged in the original 1973 Constitution. Provinces will also enjoy the promised provincial autonomy.
The committee started its mammoth task in June last year and to date has held more than 100 meetings to finalise its recommendations. If all goes well, instead of the presidency the Prime Minister House will become the epicentre of power.
According to sources, the committee will complete the reading of the proposals in two days and after drafting the proposals will start giving it the shape of a bill to be introduced in the National Assembly as the 18th Amendment to the Constitution.
The sources said once the committee hands over the report to the National Assembly speaker for removing the 17th Amendment from the Constitution, the government will summon the Senate session.
In its Wednesday meeting, the committee has resolved the issue of collection of sales tax and it was agreed that the federal government will collect sales tax on goods and the provincial governments on service.
According to the sources, on the issue of ownership of ports, it was decided to put the ports under the Council of Common Interest. The sources said it was also decided that the government would provide free education to every child between the age group of five and 16 years.
According to sources, the nationalists from Balochistan had shown some reservations on the issue relating to the provincial autonomy and wanted this issue to be resolved in the light of assurances given by Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=27837
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