Govt not to withdraw any legislation, says Babar Awan

Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Babar Awan Friday said the government was not withdrawing any legislation.

Dispelling the impression of withdrawing legislation given after yesterday’s meeting of the Opposition and the government, Dr Babar Awan clarified that the legislation done in the Parliament was valid, lawful and constitutional and would not be withdrawn.

“All the bills have been passed as per law despite the efforts by the Opposition to derail the process. The bills have been referred to the Senate of Pakistan and the relevant committees”, he said while addressing a news conference, along with State Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Farrukh Habib.

He said the Parliament of Pakistan has passed 12 bills in one day and 21 legislative instruments the other day pending with different committees for two to three years which he termed as historic.

Three bills which have been passed are very important for the nation among which one is related to ensure the safety and protection of women in response to the demand that emerged after the Motorway incident and the other is related to giving the right of vote to the overseas Pakistanis, in compliance with the four different orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan regarding electoral reforms and giving right of vote to overseas Pakistanis, he told.

“This is the first-ever Opposition which has boycotted the office of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker and the parliamentary committees, closing the doors for dialogue.”

The Opposition has trampled the sanctity of the prestigious institution of Parliament which is meant for legislating for the downtrodden segments of society empowering them, he said.

The government has always shown seriousness over bringing transparency in the election through using Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) however the Opposition parties, who want the status quo to persist, are not in favour of EVM, he said.

He said those who have managed thousands of fake votes in their constituencies are feared for their failure in case of transparent election. “Election is the matter of nation in terms of determining their future not a political party or the government”, he added.

Awan said the Opposition parties objecting and boycotting the bills neither read these bills nor suggested any single amendment. He said the government will play its vibrant role in the committee to be formed for addressing the issues of violating ethics and parliamentary traditions in the Parliament and opposing the legislation.

“Whenever any deadlock appears, the government always steps forward and resolves issues”, the Advisor said and said since the government led by Imran Khan came into power, the institutions were getting strength.

Criticizing the Opposition leader’s stance that how the overseas Pakistanis can understand the issues of Pakistan, Awan said, “If Nawaz Sharif sitting abroad can address the Pakistani nation and claim to understand the issues of Pakistan well then Overseas Pakistanis better also know the issues of the country”.

The government has always acknowledged the valuable contribution of overseas Pakistanis in terms of remittances and they must be given the right to vote in elections, he stressed. He asked the Opposition leader to focus on the supremacy of the Parliament for legislation.