Islamabad, April 02: A landmark constitutional reforms package aimed at striking down the President’s sweeping powers and strengthening democratic institutions was today tabled in Pakistan’s Parliament, with the ruling PPP describing it as a “bill of hope.”
The package, popularly referred to as the ’18th constitutional amendment,’ will be debated by the Senate and National Assembly after President Asif Ali Zardari addresses a joint session of both houses of Parliament on April 5.
Analysts believe the amendments will be passed without any hitches as the recommendations of the parliamentary panel were endorsed by all major political parties after the PPP and its allies settled differences with the opposition PML-N over contentious issues like renaming North West Frontier Province and the procedure for appointing judges.
–PTI