Daily Times

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday said he has offered his conditional support to the government on the proposed amendment in Army Act.

“I have asked the government to adopt parliamentary procedure for the proposed amendments if they require the support of PPP,” he said while talking to media outside the parliament. He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has offered unconditional support to the government on the proposed amendment. “Leader of the opposition did not take us into confidence before making such decision,” he said, adding, it will have been better if the opposition leader take all political parties on-board during the decision making.

He said the PPP has 52 seats in the National Assembly and it cannot even change a dot in the proposed amendment with this number. He said he did what he could possibly do to strengthen democracy and democratic norms, though the much bigger opposition than him offered unconditional support to the government.

“My achievement is that i have forced the government to accept our demand of adopting parliamentary procedure for the legislation,” he said. “This is the real duty of the opposition to guide the government in right direction to strengthen the Parliament which ensures the fundamental rights and independence of people,” he said.

Bilawal said Pakistan People’s Party’s policy on NAB ordinance is consistent, adding that PPP has always believed that NAB ordinance is a ‘black law’ made by a dictator for political victimization. Commenting on NAB ordinance, Bilawal said a consensus can be reached over few amendments in the NAB ordinance.