PTI to oppose constitutional amendment, says Babar Awan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Babar Awan on Wednesday said that his party would strongly oppose any constitutional amendment introduced to protect merely an individual, ARY News reported.

Talking to media outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Awan asserted that Articles 62 and 63 were part in the 1973 Constitution and subsequently the Public Representatives Act, 1976.

“If it was part of the 1976 Act that means the law was formed during Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s tenure [as Prime Minister],” he remarked, adding that Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) is likely to challenge any decision made with regard to amendments in the respective articles of the constitution.

“All doors for the deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had been closed, Sharif is left with no option to escape,” he added.

Referring to the Electoral Reforms Bill 2017 – passed by the National Assembly on Tuesday amidst criticism from the opposition – Awan said that the bill still has to gain its legal value.

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Early today, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah said that the PML-N-led government wants to do away with the constitutional provisions that led to the dismissal of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“The government aims to amend the Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution just to save Sharif,” he said and reiterated that his party will not allow the government to tinker with the constitution just to save one person.

It merits to mention that the Article 62 and 63 of constitution stipulate that a parliamentarian should be Sadiq (truthful) and Ameen (trustworthy). Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif was disqualified under these articles by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in landmark Panamagate verdict on July 28.