NA speaker calls on Sharif to discuss constitutional amendment

LAHORE: The National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq called on ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif at his Raiwind residence on Saturday.

Quoting sources, ARY News reported, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq arrived at the former prime minister’s residence to discuss proposed amendments to Articles 62, 63 of the Constitution, which resulted in the dismissal of Sharif for being dishonest for concealing his salary from a Dubai-based company.

The sources said Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and Law Minister Zahid Hamid were also present during the meeting.

The law minister had earlier announced on the floor of the National Assembly to do away with Article 62 and 63 of the constitution, drawing strong reaction from the opposition parties which vowed to resist any such attempt to amend the constitution “just to save one person.”

Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah had said PML-N-led government wants to do away with the constitutional provisions to save Sharif” reiterating that his party will not allow the government to tinker with the constitution just to save one person.

Speaking during the National Assembly session, Law Minister Zahid Hamid had said the government is considering to amend Articles 62, 63 of the Constitution while working on the proposed amendment and its legal aspects has been underway.

The minister said the government believed that the period of a lawmaker’s ineligibility should be lesser than current five years.

The Article 62 and 63 stipulates that a parliamentarian should be Sadiq (truthful) and Ameen (trustworthy).