Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Friday his party would not support proposals concerning dual nationality, the appointment of an election commissioner, or executive magistrates.
Speaking at a press conference after party's central executive committee (CEC) on the 27th constitutional amendment, Bhutto-Zardari urged the establishment of constitutional courts. He emphasised that other points of the Charter of Democracy should also be implemented, adding that under the constitution, judicial transfers are carried out by the president on the advice of the chief justice.
After the amendment, parliamentary committees will oversee judicial transfers. He suggested that both of the chief justices be made members of the committee handling a transfer so that the commission may consult the judges concerned.
Bhutto-Zardari said the Punjab local government system had removed the role of the mayor. He said that the Sindh’s local government system provided the greatest autonomy and remained the strongest among the provinces. He reiterated that the PPP had always supported local government, and its candidates had won mayoral elections in Karachi and across Sindh.
He rejected any compromise on provincial shares under the NFC Award. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has termed the judicial commission as the appropriate forum for decisions on such matters and said that authority over judicial transfers should rest with the commission. He added that the demand for constitutional courts had also been included in the Charter of Democracy.
Earlier, the sources pertaining to the development reported that the PPP's CEC meeting has proposed a new article through a constitutional amendment to bar bureaucrats from holding dual nationality.
Under the amendment, government employees will have to choose between dual nationality or employment, sources said.
For the proposed amendment, the government cited Article 63(1)(c) of the Constitution, sources said.
According to Article 63(1)(c), a person holding dual nationality cannot remain a parliamentary worker.
The PPP leaders have discussed that the new clause will tighten the circle around government employees holding dual nationality. The purpose of the amendment is to ensure the loyalty of persons holding state positions to Pakistan, a briefing said.
It is pertinent to note that President Asif Ali Zardari, along with other party leaders, attended the PPP CEC meeting.
