Islamabad: Pakistan Saturday came closer to
stripping the sweeping powers of the President and transfer
them to Parliament with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani
sending the landmark constitutional amendment package to
incumbent Asif Ali Zardari to be signed into law.
Gilani sent the 18th constitutional amendment bill,
which has already been passed with a two-thirds majority in
both houses of parliament, to the President after receiving it
from the parliamentary affairs ministry, Geo News channel
quoted its sources as saying.
Once Zardari signs the bill, its 102 clauses will
become part of the constitution.
The bill is aimed at stripping the President of his
sweeping powers, including the powers to appoint the three
service chiefs, dissolve the National Assembly and dismiss the
elected premier. The sweeping powers will be reverted back to
the office of Prime Minister.
It is also aimed at removing changes made to the
constitution by former military rulers Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez
Musharraf.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, April 17, 2010, 19:14