Saturday, January 22, 2011

Parliamentary body rejects bill regarding protection of national sovereignty

ISLAMABAD, (SANA): National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs has rejected the bill aimed at bringing changes in the Article of national sovereignty in the Constitution; meanwhile most of the movers of the bill were not present in the Committee meeting.

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the government of People’s Party has not compromised the sovereignty of the country, adding that even his government could not think about compromising the sovereignty of the country.
The meeting of the committee was held at Foreign Office, which was chaired by Committee Chairman Asfandyar Wali Khan.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi informed the committee that he would visit India if the Foreign Secretary-level would bring positive results regarding the agenda of the composite dialogue than he would decide to visit India.He briefed the committee regarding the Pak-India relations, adding that the Foreign Secretary-level meeting has already been fixed to discuss the agenda of meeting of foreign ministers of the two countries.
He said that if the Foreign Secretary-level talks would be fruitful and would give some schedule for the resumption of composite dialogue than he would visit India. According to the sources’ the foreign minister informed the committee that the talks with India should be result-oriented.

The foreign minister also briefed committee about the relations and cooperation between the allied forces in Afghanistan, adding that the cooperation with the allied forces is based on mutual respect. He said that Pakistan would not compromise on its national sovereignty; meanwhile Shah Mehmood Qureshi also briefed the committee regarding the Afghan and regional situation. After the briefing of the Foreign Office officials, the committee rejected the bill, which was aimed at bringing changes in the Article of the national sovereignty in the Constitution of the country.

He said that the government is trying to make the foreign policy of the country according to the whims and wishes of the masses, adding that Pakistan wants to hold result oriented-dialogue with India on all issues including the core issue of Jammu Kashmir. The committee meeting was called to discuss the proposals of PML-Q Chief Whip Riaz Hussain Pirzada and others in the Constitution, in which it was proposed that according to the constitution the President of Pakistan would be bound to issue certificate for the protection of national sovereignty, transfers and promotion in the armed forcers and rejection of any foreign pressure regarding the nuclear programme of the country.
The officials of the Foreign Office were of the view that according to the 18th Constitutional Amendment all the said matters vest under the jurisdiction of Prime Minister of the country, adding that than there is no reason for issuance of Presidential certificate for the said matters. Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir was also present in the meeting.
Talking to the media persons after the meeting Committee Chairman Asfandyar Wali Khan said that there is no reason for demanding the certificate from President regarding the national sovereignty, adding that the serious of the movers of the bill could be judged from the presence of only one member instead of four members.
He said that after the passage of 18th Constitutional Amendment, all the authorities vest with the Prime Minister of the country and there is no reason for demanding any certificate from the President.
(Courtesy : www.sananews.net)

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