ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has elected its Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as its parliamentary leader in the National Assembly amid coalition government’s efforts to pass the ‘contentious’ constitutional amendment.
Under the constitution, the parliamentary leader has the authority to direct members to vote on constitutional amendments, finance bills and the election of the prime minister or speaker as per the party policy.
The development comes at a time when members of the treasury benches are scrambling to win over the opposition to vote for the 26th constitutional amendment, which mainly focuses on judicial reforms.
The decision was taken during the parliamentary party meeting at the Parliament House in Islamabad wherein the name of Bilawal for the joint parliamentary leader was proposed by MNA Aseefa Bhutto Zardari which was seconded by all members.
The meeting came amid the 26th conditional amendment saga, where the ruling coalition is making every effort to develop consensus among all political parties including the opposition on the constitutional package.
Bilawal told meeting participants, “This will be the last weekend you’ll have to spend on the constitutional package,” adding that “a consensus was reached on the constitutional amendment between the PPP, the JUI-F, and the PML-N”.
Meanwhile, PPP leader Naveed Qamar has submitted the documents pertaining to the election of the party chairman as the parliamentary leader at the National Assembly office.
Yesterday before parliamentary part meeting, PPP leader and chairperson of the Special Committee of parliament on the constitutional draft Khursheed Shah confirmed his party had nominated Bilawal as the parliamentary leader.
Khursheed said the decision taken by Bilawal would be final and, “God willing, the constitutional amendment would take place”.
“Haste is not good, everything should be done calmly. This is the amendment for which 177 of our workers were martyred today,” he said referring to the 2007 Karachi’s Karsaz blast incident. He said former prime minister Benazir Bhutto had returned to Pakistan to campaign for the same amendment.
